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"title": "In ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Rep, Revolution Is in the Air — and the Kitchen",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>Of all the scents that permeate Gladys’ kitchen in Havana on the cusp of 1959, it’s the aroma of revolution that lies thickest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, now running through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, tension hangs among the pots and pans. Since age 13, Gladys (Yesenia Iglesias) has spent her days preparing meals for Cuba’s upper crust. In \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, that means working for a wealthy family which includes mistress Adria (Gisela Chípe). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the action’s onset, Adria’s priority is to ensure everyone sets their watch back an hour to keep 1958 just a hint longer. The fleeing of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista means that the start of 1959 will see Fidel Castro taking over Havana, forcing the rich family to vacate their home and start life anew in Miami.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2287\" height=\"1521\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg 2287w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2000x1330.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2287px) 100vw, 2287px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1362x2048.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2084\" height=\"1387\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg 2084w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2084px) 100vw, 2084px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2223\" height=\"1479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993793\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg 2223w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2223px) 100vw, 2223px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Georgina Morillo in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play of political drama and family scandal spans four decades in Cuba.",
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"title": "In ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Rep, Revolution Is in the Air — and the Kitchen | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>Of all the scents that permeate Gladys’ kitchen in Havana on the cusp of 1959, it’s the aroma of revolution that lies thickest.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In Eduardo Machado’s spellbinding play \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, now running through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, tension hangs among the pots and pans. Since age 13, Gladys (Yesenia Iglesias) has spent her days preparing meals for Cuba’s upper crust. In \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em>, that means working for a wealthy family which includes mistress Adria (Gisela Chípe). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>At the action’s onset, Adria’s priority is to ensure everyone sets their watch back an hour to keep 1958 just a hint longer. The fleeing of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista means that the start of 1959 will see Fidel Castro taking over Havana, forcing the rich family to vacate their home and start life anew in Miami.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2287\" height=\"1521\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993796\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409.jpg 2287w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2000x1330.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1409-2048x1362.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2287px) 100vw, 2287px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Daniel Duque-Estrada in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yet before her Florida life begins with a million other Cuban exiles, Adria wants to be sure Gladys will care for the house until she returns, a promise Gladys accepts without reservation. Later, over the course of three powerful scenes that take place in the early 1970s and late 1990s, we see Gladys shed her servant’s uniform for the period clothing stemming from Adria’s bougie closet, sharply designed by Toni-Leslie James.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On a typically magnificent set from scenic designer Tanya Orellana, director David Mendizabal’s tight and focused direction utilizes plenty of tension. Machado’s writing, while bold, can also feel thinly staccato and uneven, undercutting some of the bigger payoffs the play requires. Still, there’s a quiet power in his words, which never feel overwhelming despite the volume of exposition and Cuban history that Machado includes. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of the tension is set up beautifully at the onset, with three dark-skinned Cubans tasked with preparing food for a massive celebration (the ways that light and dark-skinned Cubans engage and interact fuels the narrative further). Helping in the kitchen is Elena (Georgina Morillo, who plays Gladys’s daughter Rosa in Act Two), barrelling through to express grunty consternation, and Julio (Ashton Muñiz), a dutiful helper hiding a secret about his sexuality that threatens “re-education” at one of Cuba’s forced labor camps — the government’s preferred way of building a more masculine society.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1428\" height=\"2147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993795\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666.jpg 1428w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-160x241.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_0666-1362x2048.jpg 1362w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1428px) 100vw, 1428px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Gladys’ husband Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada) falls toward the gleeful side of revolution, and as the 1970s roll around, it is clear why. Carlos, a lowly chauffeur, is promoted to Minister of Transportation, and he makes it extremely clear he is now a Communist bureaucrat. The transition puts him among the elites, untouchable to many, albeit extremely touchable to his mistress, who bears a love child.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A highlight of \u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> is how each character leans into any power they possess, a necessity of consolidation inside Communist Cuba, where the United States’ bruising blockade comes into direct conflict with Russia’s sizable funding of the island. While Carlos can save the lives of Gladys’ family members, he chooses not to, being much more willing to put his thumb on the scale of Marxism to get what he needs and defend Castro’s revolution to the hilt. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That revolution was never intended for Julio’s participation, which leads to a scorching scene towards the end of the first act. There is sad poetry in Julio’s belief that he be allowed to live and love as he desires, while flying too close to the sun by dating an 18-year-old son of a diplomat. The utter cruelty of Carlos and the stoic resolve of Gladys, in the hands of Duque-Estrada and Iglesias, especially in a critical moment like this, is majestic. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2084\" height=\"1387\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993794\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783.jpg 2084w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1783-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2084px) 100vw, 2084px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gisela Chípe and Yesenia Iglesias in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That majesty leads to some powerful payoffs in the play’s final frame. While the action of the entire play remains in the expansive kitchen, the quarters have now transitioned into a paladar, a home restaurant which the Cuban government caps to 12 seats, with only family members eligible for employment. Chípe as Adria’s daughter Lourdes, chronicling her mother’s history with a simple camera, witnesses the decay of a once regal home. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Despite Gladys’ loyalty, 40 years of living outside Castro’s Cuba has turned Lourdes’s mother into an enraged expat, and Lourdes uses a racial epithet to express the consternation built from the unspoken tension that existed many years ago. In both roles, Chípe is a marvel, with a searing vapidity that leads to some of the play’s funnier moments, while later employing a strategy that advocates for her mother’s legacy of bitterness. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the play belongs to Iglesias in the title role, who smartly stays away from clichés while playing each iteration of Gladys across a 40-year span. As the affirmation of the house and its proprietorship have shifted, Iglesias’s journey from dutiful to dominant is a wonderful showcase of range. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2223\" height=\"1479\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993793\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614.jpg 2223w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2000x1331.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/09/The_Cook_2026_1614-2048x1363.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2223px) 100vw, 2223px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yesenia Iglesias and Georgina Morillo in Eduardo Machado’s ‘The Cook’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. (Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Cook\u003c/em> speaks of a different kind of dictator, one who rules her kitchen with loving dominance while serving hearty portions of moros y cristianos. Although a certain type of Cuban life was denied those closest to this simple cook, her eyes rest on what she believes is a more certain future — an uncompromising belief that Rosa will see food she crafts on the world’s finest plates, far beyond the surrounding waters within Gladys’s Cuban heart. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" />\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Cook’ runs through Oct. 11 at Berkeley Rep’s Peet’s Theatre in Berkeley. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-plays-musicals-fall-2026-sf-berkeley-oakland-mill-valley-san-jose",
"title": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall in the Bay Area",
"publishDate": 1787670000,
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"headTitle": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A certain type of magic comes with fall in the Bay Area. As T-shirts and shorts turn to long sleeves and jeans, rich browns and oranges overtake each leaf. Apart from the weather, seeing theater companies kick off their seasons is always thrilling, with world premieres and big hits ready to land all over the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20. (Chris Hardy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marintheatre.org/\">The White Chip\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing. (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1428\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"http://goldenthread.org\">ReOrient Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’ (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025. (Joan Marcus)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://berkeleyrep.org\">Liberation\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>A certain type of magic comes with fall in the Bay Area. As T-shirts and shorts turn to long sleeves and jeans, rich browns and oranges overtake each leaf. Apart from the weather, seeing theater companies kick off their seasons is always thrilling, with world premieres and big hits ready to land all over the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Chris Hardy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘African Stew’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "Bay Area Playwrights Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "‘King Lear’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "‘Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "ReOrient Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"http://goldenthread.org\">ReOrient Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n",
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"attrs": {
"text": "‘Every Saturday Night’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joan Marcus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://berkeleyrep.org\">Liberation\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n"
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"excerpt": "Including shows about a lost jazz neighborhood, a women’s revolution and Abraham Lincoln’s wife run amok.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A certain type of magic comes with fall in the Bay Area. As T-shirts and shorts turn to long sleeves and jeans, rich browns and oranges overtake each leaf. Apart from the weather, seeing theater companies kick off their seasons is always thrilling, with world premieres and big hits ready to land all over the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20. (Chris Hardy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marintheatre.org/\">The White Chip\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing. (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1428\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"http://goldenthread.org\">ReOrient Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’ (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025. (Joan Marcus)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://berkeleyrep.org\">Liberation\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma",
"title": "It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason",
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"headTitle": "It’s No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n"
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"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Delightful and sweet, the world-premiere musical at Berkeley Rep seems destined for larger stages. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-plays-musicals-bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-berkeley-2026",
"title": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area",
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"headTitle": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a year of particular rockiness, Bay Area theatre continues to experience ups and downs. While some companies have closed, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DWAoR6UFB3r/?img_index=1\">3Below in San Jose\u003c/a>, others are reinventing old spaces into new beginnings, like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/thebarb\">Ray of Light\u003c/a> and their fresh, intimate performance space, the Barbary Stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer’s theater in our region offers new ideas, but also some nostalgia. Lisa Vroman played Christine Daaé in \u003ci>The Phantom of the Opera\u003c/i> when it ran in San Francisco for more than five years in the 1990s; when the revitalized production returns to the city May 29–June 21, Vroman will take on the role of choreographer Madame Giry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if an angry vocal instructor with bad skin who lives in the damp catacombs of an opera house isn’t your vibe, never fear — here are 11 other fantastic plays and musicals running all over the Bay Area this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1536x1115.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jean-Michel (Landyn Endo) and Anne (Akhila Narayanan) navigate their very opposite parents on their journey toward impending nuptials in ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Scott Sidorsky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org/\">La Cage aux Folles\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 16–June 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jean-Michel’s dad Georges is the master of ceremonies at a Saint-Tropez drag nightclub. Anne’s dad is head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party that’s trying to close drag clubs. How will these two get along now that their kids are in love? A bevy of lies ensue to try and assuage Anne’s family, yet by the end, everyone needs each other and drag artists win the day. The intimate performance space in the historic Castro District is a perfect spot for this joyous musical, written by dynamic duo Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein. Longtime executive artistic director John Fisher and development director/company manager Crystal Liu share directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1601px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png 1601w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-160x128.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-768x614.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-1536x1229.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manu Narayan, background and Kuhoo Verma star in the world premiere musical adaptation of the 2013 film ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Rachel Chavkin. \u003ccite>(HanJie Chow)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 17–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area audiences can certainly get used to seeing the uber-talented Kuhoo Verma, who’s spent time at both Berkeley Rep and ACT San Francisco in recent years. She completed an Off-Broadway run in \u003ci>Heathers\u003c/i> this past April; she now stars in this newly adapted musical. Based on Ritesh Batra’s popular 2013 film, \u003ci>The Lunchbox\u003c/i> is set in Mumbai, where a young wife and an older widower close to retirement begin a correspondence through a wrong lunch delivery. Notes hold deeper truths, and a romance begins to blossom. Batra serves as co-lyricist with sibling music group The Lazours (\u003ci>We Live in Cairo\u003c/i>), while \u003ci>Hadestown\u003c/i> director Rachel Chavkin handles the directing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989497\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989497\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-1536x809.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez rehearses as the title character of ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ at Oakland Theater Project. The company is producing a new adaptation by Chay Yew. \u003ccite>(Adam Elder Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 22–June 7, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca remains one of the most thrilling artists of the 20th century. A sly critic of the brutal General Francisco Franco, Lorca was ultimately killed by firing squad in 1936 at age 38. In a new adaptation of Lorca’s \u003ci>The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/i> by Chay Yew, Matriarch Bernarda demands that her five daughters mourn the loss of their father for eight years. Yet as time goes on, the sisters begin to self-destruct, mostly driven by a single love interest among multiple sisters, a man the audience never sees. Lisa Ramirez, a terrific actor and co-artistic director of the company, takes on the title role, directed by Michael Socrates Moran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1200x675.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bess Wohl’s ‘Continuity’ at Shotgun Players takes place on a Hollywood set. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://shotgunplayers.org/show/continuity/\">Continuity\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ashby Stage, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 23–June 21, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emilie Whelan directs this fast-paced comedy about life on a Hollywood set. As art imitates life, Maria is on edge as she keeps the production together amidst wild chaos. Egos, secrets and too much truth for comfort inform the story, a classic example of art imitating life. Shotgun Players are coming off a terrific production of another Pulitzer winning playwright, Edward Albee, and his risk-taking play \u003ci>The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?\u003c/i>, continuing a daring streak of staging stories with penetrating questions and complicated answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-768x566.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-1536x1133.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Billie J. Simmons, left, and Kelly Rinehart take on powerful emotional demands in ‘’night, Mother’ at the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Altarena Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.altarena.org/2026-season-announcement/night-mother/\">’night, Mother\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Altarena Playhouse, Alameda\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 29–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Marsha Norman’s story focuses on mother Thelma (Billie J. Simmons) and her daughter Jessie (Kelly Rinehart), who declares she is about to take her own life. Thelma’s battle for Jessie to reconsider becomes a bond, based on old secrets and long-standing harm. The small Altarena Playhouse in Alameda, featuring a three-quarter stage and just north of 100 seats, is an ideal venue for these types of personal stories. Actor, director and podcaster ShawnJ West directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-160x114.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-768x548.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Erin Rose Solorio and Sean Okuniewicz play the roles of Scaramouche and Galileo in the San Jose Stage production of ‘We Will Rock You,’ featuring the hits of rock band Queen. \u003ccite>(Dave Lepori)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">We Will Rock You\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 3–28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s never a bad time to dive into the hits of legendary rock band Queen, which boasted one of rock music’s greatest frontmen, Freddie Mercury. In this jukebox musical, two misfits, Galileo and Scaramouche, join a group of bohemians tasked with finding the buried sacred instruments that will allow them to save rock and roll. Featuring some of Queen’s biggest hits, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Somebody to Love,” the show is an opportunity to rock out to live Queen covers and dance in the aisles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989492\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989492\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Denmo Ibrahim’s ‘Arab Spring’ premiere is a collaboration between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. \u003ccite>(Clara Rice Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO, two of the Bay Area’s most consequential creators of new work, join forces for this promising co-production. In \u003ci>Arab Spring\u003c/i>, two siblings (played by Salim Razawi and Arti Ishak) return to the suburbs to bury their deadbeat dad, and themes of family and religion come to the forefront. Written by Golden Thread resident playwright Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Crowded Fire co-executive director Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux, the play promises to be explosive and timely. It’s also the first full production under new artistic director Nabra Nelson, who took over from Sahar Assaf in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1009\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg 1009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1009px) 100vw, 1009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evren Odcikin presents his adaptation of ‘As You Like It’ at Marin Shakespeare Company in June and July. \u003ccite>(Makeen Osman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/as-you-like-it/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Co.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 19, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s summer in the Bay Area and one does not go see Shakespeare outdoors, is it really summertime? Transitioning from T-shirt to jacket to blanket throughout a summer night is a rite of passage in these parts, and very few places are better suited for it than Marin. This year, exceptional theater maker Evren Odcikin is premiering his adaptation of \u003ci>As You Like It\u003c/i>, with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, the brilliant light Rosalind. Banished from the court, Rosalind disguises herself as the boy Ganymede and darts to the forest of Arden, where she encounters her love interest Orlando. It’s a classic pastoral comedy of music and romance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area-based playwright and screenwriter Geetha Reddy’s world premiere of ‘The Employee Dharma Handbook’ opens at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in July. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Geetha Reddy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/the-employee-dharma-handbook/\">The Employee Dharma Handbook\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 8–Aug. 2, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this prominent world premiere, Bay Area playwright Geetha Reddy explores dharma as a concept of morals and responsibilities in the workplace, as HR executive Val wrestles with suspicions of sexism among a group of lead engineers preparing a rocket launch. Reddy’s exploration of identity, culture and nepotism is directed by Snehal Desai, a former artistic director at Los Angeles’ East West Players currently serving as Artistic Director at the Center Theatre Group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ella Ruth Francis, Jonathan Chisolm, Jordan Covington, Alison Ewing, Mackenzie Macdonald, Trevor March, Jeannine Anderson, Jeffrey Brian Adams, Samantha Rich and Ken Brill are featured in ‘Hairspray’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of San Francisco Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sfplayhouse.org/2025-2026-season/hairspray/\">Hairspray\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>SF Playhouse\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 10–Sept. 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes you just want to go to the theater and dance in your seat. While \u003ci>Hairspray\u003c/i> is loaded with great hits in the spirit of 1960s R&B groups, it also doubles as a slick commentary on racism and societal acceptance. The story is told through the lens of plus-sized Tracy Turnblad and her mission to bring marginalized people into the spotlight through a television dance show. As good as the 2007 film was, starring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and a fresh-faced Nikki Blonsky, hearing the numbers live is a whole ‘nother vibe. Artistic director Bill English handles directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 940px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg 940w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Sherwood and Vanessa Alvarez in ‘A Mysterious Demise’ by Paul Braverman, part of last year’s 2025 Pear Slices Festival. \u003ccite>(The Pear)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/season24\">Pear Slices\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 19–Aug. 3, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New works are the heartbeat of the American theater, and terrific incubators abound in the Bay Area, including the popular \u003ci>Pear Slices\u003c/i> festival at the Pear Theatre. Over the course of the festival’s 24 years, more than 100 new works have been brought to audiences, with the 2025 production offering eight brand new stories. At this year’s 24th annual iteration of the series, the plays are nicely varied, with a mix of comic and poignant works. Tonya Mara and Joey Dippel tag-team the direction.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a year of particular rockiness, Bay Area theatre continues to experience ups and downs. While some companies have closed, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DWAoR6UFB3r/?img_index=1\">3Below in San Jose\u003c/a>, others are reinventing old spaces into new beginnings, like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/thebarb\">Ray of Light\u003c/a> and their fresh, intimate performance space, the Barbary Stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer’s theater in our region offers new ideas, but also some nostalgia. Lisa Vroman played Christine Daaé in \u003ci>The Phantom of the Opera\u003c/i> when it ran in San Francisco for more than five years in the 1990s; when the revitalized production returns to the city May 29–June 21, Vroman will take on the role of choreographer Madame Giry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if an angry vocal instructor with bad skin who lives in the damp catacombs of an opera house isn’t your vibe, never fear — here are 11 other fantastic plays and musicals running all over the Bay Area this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1536x1115.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jean-Michel (Landyn Endo) and Anne (Akhila Narayanan) navigate their very opposite parents on their journey toward impending nuptials in ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Scott Sidorsky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org/\">La Cage aux Folles\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 16–June 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jean-Michel’s dad Georges is the master of ceremonies at a Saint-Tropez drag nightclub. Anne’s dad is head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party that’s trying to close drag clubs. How will these two get along now that their kids are in love? A bevy of lies ensue to try and assuage Anne’s family, yet by the end, everyone needs each other and drag artists win the day. The intimate performance space in the historic Castro District is a perfect spot for this joyous musical, written by dynamic duo Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein. Longtime executive artistic director John Fisher and development director/company manager Crystal Liu share directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1601px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png 1601w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-160x128.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-768x614.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-1536x1229.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manu Narayan, background and Kuhoo Verma star in the world premiere musical adaptation of the 2013 film ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Rachel Chavkin. \u003ccite>(HanJie Chow)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 17–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area audiences can certainly get used to seeing the uber-talented Kuhoo Verma, who’s spent time at both Berkeley Rep and ACT San Francisco in recent years. She completed an Off-Broadway run in \u003ci>Heathers\u003c/i> this past April; she now stars in this newly adapted musical. Based on Ritesh Batra’s popular 2013 film, \u003ci>The Lunchbox\u003c/i> is set in Mumbai, where a young wife and an older widower close to retirement begin a correspondence through a wrong lunch delivery. Notes hold deeper truths, and a romance begins to blossom. Batra serves as co-lyricist with sibling music group The Lazours (\u003ci>We Live in Cairo\u003c/i>), while \u003ci>Hadestown\u003c/i> director Rachel Chavkin handles the directing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989497\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989497\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-1536x809.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez rehearses as the title character of ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ at Oakland Theater Project. The company is producing a new adaptation by Chay Yew. \u003ccite>(Adam Elder Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 22–June 7, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca remains one of the most thrilling artists of the 20th century. A sly critic of the brutal General Francisco Franco, Lorca was ultimately killed by firing squad in 1936 at age 38. In a new adaptation of Lorca’s \u003ci>The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/i> by Chay Yew, Matriarch Bernarda demands that her five daughters mourn the loss of their father for eight years. Yet as time goes on, the sisters begin to self-destruct, mostly driven by a single love interest among multiple sisters, a man the audience never sees. Lisa Ramirez, a terrific actor and co-artistic director of the company, takes on the title role, directed by Michael Socrates Moran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1200x675.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bess Wohl’s ‘Continuity’ at Shotgun Players takes place on a Hollywood set. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://shotgunplayers.org/show/continuity/\">Continuity\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ashby Stage, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 23–June 21, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emilie Whelan directs this fast-paced comedy about life on a Hollywood set. As art imitates life, Maria is on edge as she keeps the production together amidst wild chaos. Egos, secrets and too much truth for comfort inform the story, a classic example of art imitating life. Shotgun Players are coming off a terrific production of another Pulitzer winning playwright, Edward Albee, and his risk-taking play \u003ci>The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?\u003c/i>, continuing a daring streak of staging stories with penetrating questions and complicated answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-768x566.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-1536x1133.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Billie J. Simmons, left, and Kelly Rinehart take on powerful emotional demands in ‘’night, Mother’ at the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Altarena Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.altarena.org/2026-season-announcement/night-mother/\">’night, Mother\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Altarena Playhouse, Alameda\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 29–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Marsha Norman’s story focuses on mother Thelma (Billie J. Simmons) and her daughter Jessie (Kelly Rinehart), who declares she is about to take her own life. Thelma’s battle for Jessie to reconsider becomes a bond, based on old secrets and long-standing harm. The small Altarena Playhouse in Alameda, featuring a three-quarter stage and just north of 100 seats, is an ideal venue for these types of personal stories. Actor, director and podcaster ShawnJ West directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-160x114.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-768x548.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Erin Rose Solorio and Sean Okuniewicz play the roles of Scaramouche and Galileo in the San Jose Stage production of ‘We Will Rock You,’ featuring the hits of rock band Queen. \u003ccite>(Dave Lepori)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">We Will Rock You\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 3–28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s never a bad time to dive into the hits of legendary rock band Queen, which boasted one of rock music’s greatest frontmen, Freddie Mercury. In this jukebox musical, two misfits, Galileo and Scaramouche, join a group of bohemians tasked with finding the buried sacred instruments that will allow them to save rock and roll. Featuring some of Queen’s biggest hits, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Somebody to Love,” the show is an opportunity to rock out to live Queen covers and dance in the aisles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989492\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989492\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Denmo Ibrahim’s ‘Arab Spring’ premiere is a collaboration between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. \u003ccite>(Clara Rice Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO, two of the Bay Area’s most consequential creators of new work, join forces for this promising co-production. In \u003ci>Arab Spring\u003c/i>, two siblings (played by Salim Razawi and Arti Ishak) return to the suburbs to bury their deadbeat dad, and themes of family and religion come to the forefront. Written by Golden Thread resident playwright Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Crowded Fire co-executive director Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux, the play promises to be explosive and timely. It’s also the first full production under new artistic director Nabra Nelson, who took over from Sahar Assaf in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1009\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg 1009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1009px) 100vw, 1009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evren Odcikin presents his adaptation of ‘As You Like It’ at Marin Shakespeare Company in June and July. \u003ccite>(Makeen Osman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/as-you-like-it/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Co.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 19, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s summer in the Bay Area and one does not go see Shakespeare outdoors, is it really summertime? Transitioning from T-shirt to jacket to blanket throughout a summer night is a rite of passage in these parts, and very few places are better suited for it than Marin. This year, exceptional theater maker Evren Odcikin is premiering his adaptation of \u003ci>As You Like It\u003c/i>, with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, the brilliant light Rosalind. Banished from the court, Rosalind disguises herself as the boy Ganymede and darts to the forest of Arden, where she encounters her love interest Orlando. It’s a classic pastoral comedy of music and romance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area-based playwright and screenwriter Geetha Reddy’s world premiere of ‘The Employee Dharma Handbook’ opens at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in July. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Geetha Reddy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/the-employee-dharma-handbook/\">The Employee Dharma Handbook\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 8–Aug. 2, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this prominent world premiere, Bay Area playwright Geetha Reddy explores dharma as a concept of morals and responsibilities in the workplace, as HR executive Val wrestles with suspicions of sexism among a group of lead engineers preparing a rocket launch. Reddy’s exploration of identity, culture and nepotism is directed by Snehal Desai, a former artistic director at Los Angeles’ East West Players currently serving as Artistic Director at the Center Theatre Group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ella Ruth Francis, Jonathan Chisolm, Jordan Covington, Alison Ewing, Mackenzie Macdonald, Trevor March, Jeannine Anderson, Jeffrey Brian Adams, Samantha Rich and Ken Brill are featured in ‘Hairspray’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of San Francisco Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sfplayhouse.org/2025-2026-season/hairspray/\">Hairspray\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>SF Playhouse\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 10–Sept. 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes you just want to go to the theater and dance in your seat. While \u003ci>Hairspray\u003c/i> is loaded with great hits in the spirit of 1960s R&B groups, it also doubles as a slick commentary on racism and societal acceptance. The story is told through the lens of plus-sized Tracy Turnblad and her mission to bring marginalized people into the spotlight through a television dance show. As good as the 2007 film was, starring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and a fresh-faced Nikki Blonsky, hearing the numbers live is a whole ‘nother vibe. Artistic director Bill English handles directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 940px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg 940w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Sherwood and Vanessa Alvarez in ‘A Mysterious Demise’ by Paul Braverman, part of last year’s 2025 Pear Slices Festival. \u003ccite>(The Pear)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/season24\">Pear Slices\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 19–Aug. 3, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New works are the heartbeat of the American theater, and terrific incubators abound in the Bay Area, including the popular \u003ci>Pear Slices\u003c/i> festival at the Pear Theatre. Over the course of the festival’s 24 years, more than 100 new works have been brought to audiences, with the 2025 production offering eight brand new stories. At this year’s 24th annual iteration of the series, the plays are nicely varied, with a mix of comic and poignant works. Tonya Mara and Joey Dippel tag-team the direction.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "sasha-velour-big-reveal-berkeley-rep-drag",
"title": "Drag Star Sasha Velour Gets Personal in ‘The Big Reveal’ at Berkeley Rep",
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"headTitle": "Drag Star Sasha Velour Gets Personal in ‘The Big Reveal’ at Berkeley Rep | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Drag artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.sashavelour.com/\">Sasha Velour\u003c/a> knows the power of a good reveal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2017, she cemented her place as the ninth winner of \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em> with grace and ingenuity, stunning host RuPaul Charles and a worldwide television audience by secretly stashing a cascade of rose petals under her wig, then allowing them to dramatically flutter down upon her bald head during a lip-sync battle with fellow finalist Shea Couleé.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the seven years since Velour was crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar,” she’s continued to perform and advocate for drag as both an art form and a life source. A former graphic designer, Velour’s creative output includes a comic book about the Stonewall Uprising (\u003ca href=\"https://houseofvelour.com/products/three-dollar-riot-digital-download?srsltid=AfmBOoqplUalm0XHSqpqWt7D8P0OGgobrPbiX_7h723B3nLCtuVYsAdG\">\u003cem>Three Dollar Riot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>), her monthly Brooklyn drag revue NightGowns and a coffee table tome, 2023’s \u003ca href=\"https://houseofvelour.com/products/the-big-reveal-an-illustrated-manifesto-of-drag-presale?srsltid=AfmBOorauwDVNN8sYtyNV16Jrhp8RVwuRr0ykXYtammB0zNyYFUkOZLp\">\u003cem>The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in Berkeley, raised in the Midwest and based in New York, Velour will return to her birthplace with a new one-woman show, also titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22531619748&gbraid=0AAAAABm9-UtL1Yv2hm0pc6Zt1hqLW7hVA&gclid=CjwKCAjw6NrBBhB6EiwAvnT_rjDXIXte1a25n9TdcyziVLxVo98EPPc96unF-FyJkE-rij2RrVO9QxoCV7MQAvD_BwE\">The Big Reveal\u003c/a>.\u003c/em> Set to run at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater from June 4–15, the performance draws inspiration from the extensive research Velour conducted for her book on drag as well as autobiographical elements, including home movie footage. Speaking over Zoom, the show’s star and creator shared that bringing \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> home to Berkeley feels like a milestone in an already exceptional career.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/Jbhi_dTD2rs?si=SHqE9RcZCm7ZoRyr\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very full circle to bring this show to Berkeley,” she said. “In fact, it actually begins with the setting of that living room and telling the story about my childhood as a young person who was already curious about drag and gender fluidity and identity, and how I exploded from there into learning about the world and pop culture and all the big reveals of life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Delving into the reveals that have defined her own journey to date, Velour spoke with KQED about her new show, her Bay Area roots, making the cover of \u003cem>The New Yorker\u003c/em> and the time she hit the road with Heklina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zack Ruskin: What place does Berkeley hold in your heart these days?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sasha Velour: \u003c/strong>It’s funny to be speaking with KQED because I grew up with a Christmas soundtrack recorded from KQED in the ’80s with all the radio intervals. That was the soundtrack for putting up the Christmas tree in my mainly Jewish family. It was an early association with the fluidity of identity, which is why it feels so special to do this show in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976823\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976823\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A drag performer with a sharp, exaggerated bob and pop art-style bodysuit.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1020x1529.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1920x2879.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour leans into camp in her Berkeley Rep show ‘The Big Reveal.’ \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How does performing in a space like Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater compare with, say, a drag nightclub like Oasis, where I know you’ve appeared several times?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oasis is one of the best stages for drag in the world. When I do these one-person shows, I feel like they’re like all adaptations of the best drag that I first tried out in gay bars. Everything is adapted from some reveal that I had success with on those sacred stages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This show consists of ten different big reveals while also teasing out the different ways you can do a reveal beyond the one that I’m most known for, which is taking my wig off — but I promise there’s a little bit of that in there as well. I think the theme is drag as truth-telling. There’s a RuPaul quote I love: “Drag doesn’t disguise who you are; it reveals who you are.” We’re telling the truth not just about ourselves and our own complex identities and experiences of gender, but about the world and the way it works — the horrible things and the beautiful things — and finding ways to make it intellectual.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You are, in every sense of the term, an artist. I love that you’ve kept your passion for comics alive with work like \u003cem>Three Dollar Riot\u003c/em>. What was it like to work on the book version of \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> and then transform that into a stage show?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It felt like a translation process. At first, I had to translate all my drag speeches and numbers into a book, and then I had to translate it all back into performances. As part of that, I wanted to capture some of the artwork and the imagery that I put into \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> book, but I decided to remix it and turn it into something else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I feel like this show has taken on a life of its own. The biggest themes are camp and pop culture. I thought about the experience of selling a book about drag. It was something so political and so urgent, and I was doing TV appearances defending why drag should not be criminalized and why queer people should be allowed to live our lives openly, while selling this book about my life as well as the history of the art form. It was such a surreal and disturbing yet also empowering experience, and I wanted to try to capture that on stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think “camp” is the ultimate theme of the show, presented as a celebration of survival in times of disaster and oppression and judgment. Overall, I think the process of putting the book together is what inspired the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Are you still an avid comic consumer?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely. That’s my favorite thing to find in any library or bookstore, and I judge bookstores by how good their graphic novel collections are. My collection is still growing. Comic artists and graphic designers will definitely appreciate the color palette of my show, which is built entirely around the CMYK process in various combinations. I learned that it takes a lot to translate color into printed manner when I was working behind the scenes of a publishing house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976824\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1920x2400.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour is a visual artist in addition to being a performer. \u003ccite>(Chloe Mary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Your monthly Brooklyn drag revue NightGowns is set to celebrate its tenth anniversary later this summer. What does it mean to you to be able to have a show like this run for such a long time? At a time when queer rights are seemingly hanging in the balance, does putting NightGowns on feel like a radical act?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. NightGowns is a part of history now, which is wild to say. It’s rooted in knowing that it’s possible to keep existing through changing political environments. We’ve also been so true to the same mission with that show. It’s centered on the art, led by drag artists and built on a really expansive idea of who can take part in drag. It also features a good blend of politics and escapism, and especially these days, it seems like the audience is more eager than ever to take part in it. So far, we’ve been able to raise over $30,000 per year for direct mutual aid through the art raffle that we do. I think people are eager to use drag as an amazing platform for making a difference in the world, or at least for having some hope of making a difference. I hope NightGowns can keep being that difference for another ten years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How did it feel to be a guest judge on the upcoming debut season of Revry’s \u003cem>King of Drag\u003c/em>, the first reality television competition series devoted to drag kings? [aside postid='arts_13976079']\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was everything. I’m so thrilled that it exists. I wanted to be there just to witness what the kings brought, and I can confirm that it is unlike anything I’ve seen before on a drag competition. I think it’s going to more than prove what we’ve all been saying this whole time, which is that the art of the drag king is just as incredible as every other form of drag and needs to be given the same opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do you have any special memories from the many shows you’ve done here in the Bay Area over the years?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s always been a big deal for me to come perform in the Bay Area, because I still have family who live there. My dad and aunt and uncle will gather and come support me at those shows, so it feels like a family event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think I’ve performed at Oasis at least five times. I was blessed to be booked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/heklina\">Heklina\u003c/a>, who I had so much fun with. The first time she ever brought me out, we did two back-to-back gigs at Oasis, and then she drove me in her car to Sacramento. We stopped at a diner and talked about our families and everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, I also did this mini tour with her and D’Arcy [Drollinger] for their \u003cem>Golden Girls\u003c/em> drag show. I got to play antisemitic author [Barbara Thorndyke] in one \u003cem>Golden Girls\u003c/em> episode and someone who falls in love with Rose in another one. It was like the best acting or theater experience I’ve ever had. Since then, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13970352/high-princx-pageant-drag-competition-san-francisco-2024\">Tito Soto\u003c/a> has brought me out for Princess, which is such an incredible show and so in the spirit of everything I love about drag. I feel a great connection with him and his drag family as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976825\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour says San Francisco’s Oasis is one of the best drag stages in the nation. \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>One fascinating element of \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> is your use of childhood home movies. What’s it like to interact with old media of yourself as part of creating a high-concept drag show?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think of my use of childhood video as proof. I first brought it into NightGowns when it was in a bar. That very first year, my dad sent me a digitized clip of me in drag as a kid. I didn’t even remember doing but it speaks to the consistency of who we are as little creatures. We kind of know who we are, but we need the context and the language and the tools to fine tune it and hone it and pursue it. It proves to me how natural queerness is in the world, and that I was born to do drag, or at least that I always thought I was born to do it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How did it feel to design a self-portrait featured as a \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2023-06-12\">\u003cem>New Yorker\u003c/em> cover\u003c/a>?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a gag. I kept trying to edit the image to make it cleaner and more polished, because I was convinced that the first version, which was really intended as a rough draft, was not up to the standards of \u003cem>The New Yorker\u003c/em>, but [art editor] Francoise [Mouly], who was my boss many years back, told me that the urgency of my rough draft was the magic she was looking for. I still think about that a lot when creating art.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sasha Velour’s ‘The Big Reveal’ takes place at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater June 4–15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22531619748&gbraid=0AAAAABm9-UtL1Yv2hm0pc6Zt1hqLW7hVA&gclid=CjwKCAjw6NrBBhB6EiwAvnT_rjDXIXte1a25n9TdcyziVLxVo98EPPc96unF-FyJkE-rij2RrVO9QxoCV7MQAvD_BwE\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Drag artist \u003ca href=\"https://www.sashavelour.com/\">Sasha Velour\u003c/a> knows the power of a good reveal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2017, she cemented her place as the ninth winner of \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em> with grace and ingenuity, stunning host RuPaul Charles and a worldwide television audience by secretly stashing a cascade of rose petals under her wig, then allowing them to dramatically flutter down upon her bald head during a lip-sync battle with fellow finalist Shea Couleé.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the seven years since Velour was crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar,” she’s continued to perform and advocate for drag as both an art form and a life source. A former graphic designer, Velour’s creative output includes a comic book about the Stonewall Uprising (\u003ca href=\"https://houseofvelour.com/products/three-dollar-riot-digital-download?srsltid=AfmBOoqplUalm0XHSqpqWt7D8P0OGgobrPbiX_7h723B3nLCtuVYsAdG\">\u003cem>Three Dollar Riot\u003c/em>\u003c/a>), her monthly Brooklyn drag revue NightGowns and a coffee table tome, 2023’s \u003ca href=\"https://houseofvelour.com/products/the-big-reveal-an-illustrated-manifesto-of-drag-presale?srsltid=AfmBOorauwDVNN8sYtyNV16Jrhp8RVwuRr0ykXYtammB0zNyYFUkOZLp\">\u003cem>The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag\u003c/em>\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Born in Berkeley, raised in the Midwest and based in New York, Velour will return to her birthplace with a new one-woman show, also titled \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22531619748&gbraid=0AAAAABm9-UtL1Yv2hm0pc6Zt1hqLW7hVA&gclid=CjwKCAjw6NrBBhB6EiwAvnT_rjDXIXte1a25n9TdcyziVLxVo98EPPc96unF-FyJkE-rij2RrVO9QxoCV7MQAvD_BwE\">The Big Reveal\u003c/a>.\u003c/em> Set to run at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater from June 4–15, the performance draws inspiration from the extensive research Velour conducted for her book on drag as well as autobiographical elements, including home movie footage. Speaking over Zoom, the show’s star and creator shared that bringing \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> home to Berkeley feels like a milestone in an already exceptional career.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/Jbhi_dTD2rs'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/Jbhi_dTD2rs'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very full circle to bring this show to Berkeley,” she said. “In fact, it actually begins with the setting of that living room and telling the story about my childhood as a young person who was already curious about drag and gender fluidity and identity, and how I exploded from there into learning about the world and pop culture and all the big reveals of life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Delving into the reveals that have defined her own journey to date, Velour spoke with KQED about her new show, her Bay Area roots, making the cover of \u003cem>The New Yorker\u003c/em> and the time she hit the road with Heklina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Zack Ruskin: What place does Berkeley hold in your heart these days?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Sasha Velour: \u003c/strong>It’s funny to be speaking with KQED because I grew up with a Christmas soundtrack recorded from KQED in the ’80s with all the radio intervals. That was the soundtrack for putting up the Christmas tree in my mainly Jewish family. It was an early association with the fluidity of identity, which is why it feels so special to do this show in Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976823\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976823\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A drag performer with a sharp, exaggerated bob and pop art-style bodysuit.\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-800x1200.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1020x1529.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_3.2_GregEndries-1920x2879.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour leans into camp in her Berkeley Rep show ‘The Big Reveal.’ \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How does performing in a space like Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater compare with, say, a drag nightclub like Oasis, where I know you’ve appeared several times?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oasis is one of the best stages for drag in the world. When I do these one-person shows, I feel like they’re like all adaptations of the best drag that I first tried out in gay bars. Everything is adapted from some reveal that I had success with on those sacred stages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This show consists of ten different big reveals while also teasing out the different ways you can do a reveal beyond the one that I’m most known for, which is taking my wig off — but I promise there’s a little bit of that in there as well. I think the theme is drag as truth-telling. There’s a RuPaul quote I love: “Drag doesn’t disguise who you are; it reveals who you are.” We’re telling the truth not just about ourselves and our own complex identities and experiences of gender, but about the world and the way it works — the horrible things and the beautiful things — and finding ways to make it intellectual.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>You are, in every sense of the term, an artist. I love that you’ve kept your passion for comics alive with work like \u003cem>Three Dollar Riot\u003c/em>. What was it like to work on the book version of \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> and then transform that into a stage show?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It felt like a translation process. At first, I had to translate all my drag speeches and numbers into a book, and then I had to translate it all back into performances. As part of that, I wanted to capture some of the artwork and the imagery that I put into \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> book, but I decided to remix it and turn it into something else.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I feel like this show has taken on a life of its own. The biggest themes are camp and pop culture. I thought about the experience of selling a book about drag. It was something so political and so urgent, and I was doing TV appearances defending why drag should not be criminalized and why queer people should be allowed to live our lives openly, while selling this book about my life as well as the history of the art form. It was such a surreal and disturbing yet also empowering experience, and I wanted to try to capture that on stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think “camp” is the ultimate theme of the show, presented as a celebration of survival in times of disaster and oppression and judgment. Overall, I think the process of putting the book together is what inspired the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Are you still an avid comic consumer?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Absolutely. That’s my favorite thing to find in any library or bookstore, and I judge bookstores by how good their graphic novel collections are. My collection is still growing. Comic artists and graphic designers will definitely appreciate the color palette of my show, which is built entirely around the CMYK process in various combinations. I learned that it takes a lot to translate color into printed manner when I was working behind the scenes of a publishing house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976824\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1020x1275.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-160x200.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_7.2_ChloeMary-1920x2400.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour is a visual artist in addition to being a performer. \u003ccite>(Chloe Mary)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Your monthly Brooklyn drag revue NightGowns is set to celebrate its tenth anniversary later this summer. What does it mean to you to be able to have a show like this run for such a long time? At a time when queer rights are seemingly hanging in the balance, does putting NightGowns on feel like a radical act?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Yes. NightGowns is a part of history now, which is wild to say. It’s rooted in knowing that it’s possible to keep existing through changing political environments. We’ve also been so true to the same mission with that show. It’s centered on the art, led by drag artists and built on a really expansive idea of who can take part in drag. It also features a good blend of politics and escapism, and especially these days, it seems like the audience is more eager than ever to take part in it. So far, we’ve been able to raise over $30,000 per year for direct mutual aid through the art raffle that we do. I think people are eager to use drag as an amazing platform for making a difference in the world, or at least for having some hope of making a difference. I hope NightGowns can keep being that difference for another ten years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How did it feel to be a guest judge on the upcoming debut season of Revry’s \u003cem>King of Drag\u003c/em>, the first reality television competition series devoted to drag kings? \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was everything. I’m so thrilled that it exists. I wanted to be there just to witness what the kings brought, and I can confirm that it is unlike anything I’ve seen before on a drag competition. I think it’s going to more than prove what we’ve all been saying this whole time, which is that the art of the drag king is just as incredible as every other form of drag and needs to be given the same opportunities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Do you have any special memories from the many shows you’ve done here in the Bay Area over the years?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s always been a big deal for me to come perform in the Bay Area, because I still have family who live there. My dad and aunt and uncle will gather and come support me at those shows, so it feels like a family event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think I’ve performed at Oasis at least five times. I was blessed to be booked by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/heklina\">Heklina\u003c/a>, who I had so much fun with. The first time she ever brought me out, we did two back-to-back gigs at Oasis, and then she drove me in her car to Sacramento. We stopped at a diner and talked about our families and everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Later, I also did this mini tour with her and D’Arcy [Drollinger] for their \u003cem>Golden Girls\u003c/em> drag show. I got to play antisemitic author [Barbara Thorndyke] in one \u003cem>Golden Girls\u003c/em> episode and someone who falls in love with Rose in another one. It was like the best acting or theater experience I’ve ever had. Since then, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13970352/high-princx-pageant-drag-competition-san-francisco-2024\">Tito Soto\u003c/a> has brought me out for Princess, which is such an incredible show and so in the spirit of everything I love about drag. I feel a great connection with him and his drag family as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976825\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_4.2_GregEndries-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour says San Francisco’s Oasis is one of the best drag stages in the nation. \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>One fascinating element of \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> is your use of childhood home movies. What’s it like to interact with old media of yourself as part of creating a high-concept drag show?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I think of my use of childhood video as proof. I first brought it into NightGowns when it was in a bar. That very first year, my dad sent me a digitized clip of me in drag as a kid. I didn’t even remember doing but it speaks to the consistency of who we are as little creatures. We kind of know who we are, but we need the context and the language and the tools to fine tune it and hone it and pursue it. It proves to me how natural queerness is in the world, and that I was born to do drag, or at least that I always thought I was born to do it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>How did it feel to design a self-portrait featured as a \u003ca href=\"https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cover-story/cover-story-2023-06-12\">\u003cem>New Yorker\u003c/em> cover\u003c/a>?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It was a gag. I kept trying to edit the image to make it cleaner and more polished, because I was convinced that the first version, which was really intended as a rough draft, was not up to the standards of \u003cem>The New Yorker\u003c/em>, but [art editor] Francoise [Mouly], who was my boss many years back, told me that the urgency of my rough draft was the magic she was looking for. I still think about that a lot when creating art.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sasha Velour’s ‘The Big Reveal’ takes place at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theater June 4–15. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22531619748&gbraid=0AAAAABm9-UtL1Yv2hm0pc6Zt1hqLW7hVA&gclid=CjwKCAjw6NrBBhB6EiwAvnT_rjDXIXte1a25n9TdcyziVLxVo98EPPc96unF-FyJkE-rij2RrVO9QxoCV7MQAvD_BwE\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-plays-musicals-summer-bay-area",
"title": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals in the Bay Area This Summer",
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"headTitle": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals in the Bay Area This Summer | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2025\">2025 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you’ve avoided the news cycle, the performing arts are in an unprecedented funding crisis. The U.S. government is slowly dismantling the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, which have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13975661/national-endowment-for-the-arts-grants-canceled-nonprofits\">canceled millions of dollars in already-awarded grants\u003c/a> across the country — including several nonprofits on this very summer theater preview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means the support of your favorite organizations is more crucial than ever. What better way to support than to simply \u003cem>show up\u003c/em>? Get thee to a cabaret, a salon, or a summer musical. Buy a ticket, buy a drink, make the scene and make a difference. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are 12 ways to avail yourself of theater’s transformative potential all summer long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976131\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976131\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) The ‘Co-Founders’ creative team of Beau Lewis, Adesha Adefela, and RyanNicole Austin. \u003ccite>(Michaela Schulz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2024-25-season/co-founders/\">Co-Founders\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>May 29–July 6, 2025\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area-borne, \u003ca href=\"https://www.rhymecombinator.com/\">Rhyme Combinator\u003c/a>-conceived hip-hop musical \u003cem>Co-Founders\u003c/em> has its world premiere at last. Taking audience immersion to the next level, this “tech-savvy” production promises next-level design elements, powerhouse local performers, and an of-the-moment tale of a Black woman’s attempt to break into the upper echelons of Silicon Valley without losing her soul (and her home). This show’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905839/startup-dreams-hip-hop-and-theater-meet-in-a-new-play-about-tech-art\">a long time in the making\u003c/a>, and it’s ready to make some noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976132\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1272\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976132\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-800x509.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1020x649.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1536x977.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1920x1221.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour in ‘The Big Reveal Live Show,’ running at Berkeley Rep June 4–15. \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/\">Sasha Velour: The Big Reveal Live Show\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>June 4–15, 2025\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The incomparable Sasha Velour, drag queen of 1,000 rose petals and winner of Season 9 of \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em>, comes back to her former hometown at Berkeley Rep with a revival of \u003cem>The Big Reveal Live Show\u003c/em>. A showcase for Velour’s big ideas and even bigger drag, \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> offers a fabulous window into the creative landscape of one of drag’s most innovative performers. Sumptuous, playful, and profound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"661\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-800x264.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1020x337.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-768x254.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1920x635.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Jeremy Julian Greco, Tony Cyprien and Scott Cohen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Sunset Solos)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sunsetsolos.com/\">Sunset Solos\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ongoing; third Sunday of each month\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Sealevel, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since January 2024, a monthly solo performance showcase has been underway at Sealevel, a gallery and community space in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset. The brainchild of seasoned performer and producer Jeremy Julian Greco, this intimate, low-tech series brings some of the Bay Area’s best solo artists to a venue so close to the ocean you can smell the salt tang in the air. A flourishing testament to the arts’ ability to take root and bloom wherever it may be planted, Sunset Solos’ summer performers include Scott Cohen and Tony Cyprien, with more to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976134\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976134\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">New York Police officers outside the Altoona Police Department, where Luigi Mangione was taken into police custody, on Dec. 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pa. \u003ccite>(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://luigithemusical.info/\">Luigi: the Musical\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>June 13-28; more dates TBA\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Taylor Street Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I’m being honest, when I first heard about \u003cem>Luigi: the Musical\u003c/em>, I wondered if perhaps it was a little \u003cem>too soon\u003c/em>. Especially since there are apparently two unrelated Luigi Mangione musicals in the works, one here and \u003ca href=\"https://www.lonestarlive.com/life/2025/02/austin-company-behind-young-greg-abbott-creating-satirical-musical-inspired-by-luigi-mangione.html\">one in Austin, Texas\u003c/a>. But rather than a sympathetic portrait or ill-timed SNL-style skit, this 60-minute musical satire imagines three notorious inmates — Mangione, the accused shooter of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson; accused sex trafficker Sean “Diddy” Combs; and convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried — in a cell together, representing the worst manifestations of individualism and fracturing societal norms. Also, songs. Its initial run at Taylor Street Theatre is already sold out, so watch for new dates to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976125\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marga Gomez. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 12-Aug. 10\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Aurora Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written for and first performed by the extraordinary Lily Tomlin in 1985, Jane Wagner’s \u003cem>The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/em> remains a skillful and relevant commentary on creativity, society and the human condition as experienced by a multi-generational collection of misfits, middle Americans, and muses. Aurora Theatre’s production stars Bay Area comedy performance legend Marga Gomez, poised to guide us — and some curious visitors from outer space — through a world where soup is art, art is soup, and the search for intelligence is a truly universal concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857596\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS.jpg\" alt='Still from \"Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart,\" a documentary directed by Tracy Heather Strain that premiered on PBS in 2018.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1082\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13857596\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-800x451.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-768x433.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-1020x575.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-1200x676.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lorraine Hansberry. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of PBS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/blancs\">Les Blancs\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 11-27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project at FLAX, Oakland\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1961, the prominent playwright and activist Lorraine Hansberry penned \u003ca href=\"https://www.villagevoice.com/genet-mailer-the-new-paternalism/\">a thoughtful takedown\u003c/a> of Jean Genet’s \u003cem>The Blacks\u003c/em> for the \u003cem>Village Voice\u003c/em>. She worked on a theatrical response as well — her posthumously produced \u003cem>Les Blancs\u003c/em>. Set on the African continent, this seldom-performed play tackles the deep wounds of colonialism, and the right of indigenous people everywhere for self-determination and freedom from oppression and exploitation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976135\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1679px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1679\" height=\"1011\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976135\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web.jpg 1679w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-800x482.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-1020x614.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-768x462.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-1536x925.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1679px) 100vw, 1679px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Torange Yeghiazarian, the founding artistic director of Golden Thread Productions. \u003ccite>(Navid G. Maghami)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/seeds/\">Seeds of Time Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 15-Aug. 3\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>514 Fourth Street Theater, San Rafael\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something artistic this way comes. Marin Shakespeare Company and Play On Shakespeare team up for this festival of works-in-progress that reimagine classics into theatrical expressions of the now. Mostly Shakespeare-inspired — with Chekov and 12th century Persia in the mix — the six featured plays riff on themes of love, identity, power, motherhood and AI. A feast of local talent and fervent ideas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13966072\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13966072\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grace Margaret Craig in ‘Ride the Cyclone’ at the New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Jenni Chapman/Courtesy NCTC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://cltc.org/current-events/\">Head Over Heels\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 17- Aug. 24\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>City Lights Theater, San Jose\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://nctcsf.org/event/ride-the-cyclone-returns/\">Ride the Cyclone\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 11-Aug. 15\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If jukebox musicals have a “season,” surely it’s summer, when long days and languid nights seem to demand lighter, more joyous fare. City Lights Theater Company’s production of \u003cem>Head Over Heels\u003c/em> — a jukebox musical featuring the greatest hits of the Go-Go’s — can fill that need. A less-than idyllic romp through ancient Arcadia, punctuated by songs such as “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips are Sealed” and “Vacation,” \u003cem>Head Over Heels\u003c/em> takes on gender, love and destiny with poppy aplomb. For fun-loving levity with original songs made popular on TikTok, New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco brings back their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966064/ride-the-cyclone-musical-review-san-francisco\">well received\u003c/a> and raucous production of teenage afterlife musical \u003cem>Ride the Cyclone\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976129\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976129\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Circus Bella performs at the 25th Yerba Buena Gardens Festival on June 20 and 21. \u003ccite>(Emil Alex)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>All Summer Long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take it outside with Circus Bella and ChoreoFest at the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>; an \u003ca href=\"https://www.clubfugazisf.com/walking-tour\">arts-centered walking tour of North Beach\u003c/a> presented by the team behind circus spectacle \u003cem>Dear San Francisco\u003c/em>; an ode to California, SF Shakes-style, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sfshakes.org/performance/free-shakes/gentlemen/\">Two Gentlemen of Verona\u003c/a>\u003c/em>; a hopefully restored mini-tour from the SF Mime Troupe (\u003ca href=\"https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/oyEZqUJSGrc_p45PgwHjhg\">donations are being accepted\u003c/a> to make it happen); \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://pineconesandportals.com/alice2025\">Alice in Wander Land\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a “hiking theatre” production for the young with ADA and ASL options for extra access; or \u003ca href=\"https://www.aeofberkeley.org/\">Shakespeare’s \u003cem>Cymbeline\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Taming of the Shrew\u003c/em>\u003c/a> with Actor’s Ensemble of Berkeley in John Hinkel Park.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Outdoor Shakespeare, musical premieres and returning favorites keep Bay Area stages hopping this summer.",
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"title": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals in the Bay Area This Summer | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cb>\u003ci>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2025\">2025 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/i>\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In case you’ve avoided the news cycle, the performing arts are in an unprecedented funding crisis. The U.S. government is slowly dismantling the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities, which have \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13975661/national-endowment-for-the-arts-grants-canceled-nonprofits\">canceled millions of dollars in already-awarded grants\u003c/a> across the country — including several nonprofits on this very summer theater preview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means the support of your favorite organizations is more crucial than ever. What better way to support than to simply \u003cem>show up\u003c/em>? Get thee to a cabaret, a salon, or a summer musical. Buy a ticket, buy a drink, make the scene and make a difference. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are 12 ways to avail yourself of theater’s transformative potential all summer long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976131\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976131\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/BAR9-2024_Credit_MichaelaSchulz-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) The ‘Co-Founders’ creative team of Beau Lewis, Adesha Adefela, and RyanNicole Austin. \u003ccite>(Michaela Schulz)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2024-25-season/co-founders/\">Co-Founders\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>May 29–July 6, 2025\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area-borne, \u003ca href=\"https://www.rhymecombinator.com/\">Rhyme Combinator\u003c/a>-conceived hip-hop musical \u003cem>Co-Founders\u003c/em> has its world premiere at last. Taking audience immersion to the next level, this “tech-savvy” production promises next-level design elements, powerhouse local performers, and an of-the-moment tale of a Black woman’s attempt to break into the upper echelons of Silicon Valley without losing her soul (and her home). This show’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13905839/startup-dreams-hip-hop-and-theater-meet-in-a-new-play-about-tech-art\">a long time in the making\u003c/a>, and it’s ready to make some noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976132\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1272\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976132\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-800x509.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1020x649.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-768x488.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1536x977.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/TBRLS_6.2_GregEndries-1-1920x1221.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sasha Velour in ‘The Big Reveal Live Show,’ running at Berkeley Rep June 4–15. \u003ccite>(Greg Endries)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-big-reveal-live-show/\">Sasha Velour: The Big Reveal Live Show\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>June 4–15, 2025\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The incomparable Sasha Velour, drag queen of 1,000 rose petals and winner of Season 9 of \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em>, comes back to her former hometown at Berkeley Rep with a revival of \u003cem>The Big Reveal Live Show\u003c/em>. A showcase for Velour’s big ideas and even bigger drag, \u003cem>The Big Reveal\u003c/em> offers a fabulous window into the creative landscape of one of drag’s most innovative performers. Sumptuous, playful, and profound.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976126\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"661\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976126\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-800x264.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1020x337.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-160x53.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-768x254.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1536x508.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/jeremy.tony_.scott_-1920x635.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Jeremy Julian Greco, Tony Cyprien and Scott Cohen. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Sunset Solos)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sunsetsolos.com/\">Sunset Solos\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ongoing; third Sunday of each month\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Sealevel, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since January 2024, a monthly solo performance showcase has been underway at Sealevel, a gallery and community space in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset. The brainchild of seasoned performer and producer Jeremy Julian Greco, this intimate, low-tech series brings some of the Bay Area’s best solo artists to a venue so close to the ocean you can smell the salt tang in the air. A flourishing testament to the arts’ ability to take root and bloom wherever it may be planted, Sunset Solos’ summer performers include Scott Cohen and Tony Cyprien, with more to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976134\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976134\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/NYPDAP-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">New York Police officers outside the Altoona Police Department, where Luigi Mangione was taken into police custody, on Dec. 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pa. \u003ccite>(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://luigithemusical.info/\">Luigi: the Musical\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>June 13-28; more dates TBA\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Taylor Street Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If I’m being honest, when I first heard about \u003cem>Luigi: the Musical\u003c/em>, I wondered if perhaps it was a little \u003cem>too soon\u003c/em>. Especially since there are apparently two unrelated Luigi Mangione musicals in the works, one here and \u003ca href=\"https://www.lonestarlive.com/life/2025/02/austin-company-behind-young-greg-abbott-creating-satirical-musical-inspired-by-luigi-mangione.html\">one in Austin, Texas\u003c/a>. But rather than a sympathetic portrait or ill-timed SNL-style skit, this 60-minute musical satire imagines three notorious inmates — Mangione, the accused shooter of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson; accused sex trafficker Sean “Diddy” Combs; and convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried — in a cell together, representing the worst manifestations of individualism and fracturing societal norms. Also, songs. Its initial run at Taylor Street Theatre is already sold out, so watch for new dates to be announced.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976125\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/MargaGomez.CheshireIsaacs-1920x1281.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marga Gomez. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 12-Aug. 10\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Aurora Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written for and first performed by the extraordinary Lily Tomlin in 1985, Jane Wagner’s \u003cem>The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/em> remains a skillful and relevant commentary on creativity, society and the human condition as experienced by a multi-generational collection of misfits, middle Americans, and muses. Aurora Theatre’s production stars Bay Area comedy performance legend Marga Gomez, poised to guide us — and some curious visitors from outer space — through a world where soup is art, art is soup, and the search for intelligence is a truly universal concern.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857596\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS.jpg\" alt='Still from \"Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart,\" a documentary directed by Tracy Heather Strain that premiered on PBS in 2018.' width=\"1920\" height=\"1082\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13857596\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-800x451.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-768x433.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-1020x575.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/LorraineHansberry-PBS-1200x676.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lorraine Hansberry. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of PBS)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/blancs\">Les Blancs\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 11-27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project at FLAX, Oakland\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 1961, the prominent playwright and activist Lorraine Hansberry penned \u003ca href=\"https://www.villagevoice.com/genet-mailer-the-new-paternalism/\">a thoughtful takedown\u003c/a> of Jean Genet’s \u003cem>The Blacks\u003c/em> for the \u003cem>Village Voice\u003c/em>. She worked on a theatrical response as well — her posthumously produced \u003cem>Les Blancs\u003c/em>. Set on the African continent, this seldom-performed play tackles the deep wounds of colonialism, and the right of indigenous people everywhere for self-determination and freedom from oppression and exploitation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976135\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1679px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1679\" height=\"1011\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976135\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web.jpg 1679w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-800x482.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-1020x614.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-768x462.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Torange-Photo-by-Navid-G-Maghami-for-web-1536x925.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1679px) 100vw, 1679px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Torange Yeghiazarian, the founding artistic director of Golden Thread Productions. \u003ccite>(Navid G. Maghami)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/seeds/\">Seeds of Time Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 15-Aug. 3\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>514 Fourth Street Theater, San Rafael\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Something artistic this way comes. Marin Shakespeare Company and Play On Shakespeare team up for this festival of works-in-progress that reimagine classics into theatrical expressions of the now. Mostly Shakespeare-inspired — with Chekov and 12th century Persia in the mix — the six featured plays riff on themes of love, identity, power, motherhood and AI. A feast of local talent and fervent ideas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13966072\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13966072\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/RideTheCycloneNCTC_-Grace-Margaret-Craig.-Photo-by-Jenni-Chapman-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grace Margaret Craig in ‘Ride the Cyclone’ at the New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Jenni Chapman/Courtesy NCTC)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://cltc.org/current-events/\">Head Over Heels\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 17- Aug. 24\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>City Lights Theater, San Jose\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://nctcsf.org/event/ride-the-cyclone-returns/\">Ride the Cyclone\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>July 11-Aug. 15\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If jukebox musicals have a “season,” surely it’s summer, when long days and languid nights seem to demand lighter, more joyous fare. City Lights Theater Company’s production of \u003cem>Head Over Heels\u003c/em> — a jukebox musical featuring the greatest hits of the Go-Go’s — can fill that need. A less-than idyllic romp through ancient Arcadia, punctuated by songs such as “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips are Sealed” and “Vacation,” \u003cem>Head Over Heels\u003c/em> takes on gender, love and destiny with poppy aplomb. For fun-loving levity with original songs made popular on TikTok, New Conservatory Theatre Center in San Francisco brings back their \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966064/ride-the-cyclone-musical-review-san-francisco\">well received\u003c/a> and raucous production of teenage afterlife musical \u003cem>Ride the Cyclone\u003c/em>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13976129\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13976129\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/05/Circus-Bella-credit-Emil-Alex-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Circus Bella performs at the 25th Yerba Buena Gardens Festival on June 20 and 21. \u003ccite>(Emil Alex)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>All Summer Long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take it outside with Circus Bella and ChoreoFest at the \u003ca href=\"https://ybgfestival.org/\">Yerba Buena Gardens Festival\u003c/a>; an \u003ca href=\"https://www.clubfugazisf.com/walking-tour\">arts-centered walking tour of North Beach\u003c/a> presented by the team behind circus spectacle \u003cem>Dear San Francisco\u003c/em>; an ode to California, SF Shakes-style, with \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sfshakes.org/performance/free-shakes/gentlemen/\">Two Gentlemen of Verona\u003c/a>\u003c/em>; a hopefully restored mini-tour from the SF Mime Troupe (\u003ca href=\"https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/oyEZqUJSGrc_p45PgwHjhg\">donations are being accepted\u003c/a> to make it happen); \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://pineconesandportals.com/alice2025\">Alice in Wander Land\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, a “hiking theatre” production for the young with ADA and ASL options for extra access; or \u003ca href=\"https://www.aeofberkeley.org/\">Shakespeare’s \u003cem>Cymbeline\u003c/em> and \u003cem>The Taming of the Shrew\u003c/em>\u003c/a> with Actor’s Ensemble of Berkeley in John Hinkel Park.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-bay-area-theater-2024",
"title": "The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2024",
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"headTitle": "The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2024 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>There’s no denying that theater continued to face massive obstacles in 2024. With audiences still choosing to stay home in large numbers, fundraising campaigns were often as common as season announcements, while consequential closures of legacy institutions stung the ecosystem as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, companies large and small continued to crank out successful, fantastic productions in the face of brutal headwinds — with some of the nation’s biggest touring productions adding cherries to our already massive regional theatrical sundae. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, theater critics and regular KQED contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez share their most significant Bay Area theater happenings of 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1248\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968854\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-800x499.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1020x636.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-768x479.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1536x958.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1920x1198.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jim (William Thomas Hodgson), Amanda (Susi Damilano), Laura (Nicole Javier) and Tom (Jomar Tagatac) in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Truth of Illusion in ‘Glass Menagerie’ at SF Playhouse\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-playhouse\">San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a> in May, \u003cem>The Glass Menagerie\u003c/em>, one of Tennessee Williams’ most produced and haunting plays, served a master class in how to modernize a classic. First, find themes of relevance in our modern world through the fraught existence of the Wingfield family and its illusory protagonist Tom. Second, collect a bang-up cast of terrific performers. Third, let them cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This production wrangled such explosiveness out of the piercing text, extracting lessons of race, class and sexuality in flaring new ways. Jeffrey Lo’s direction of his diverse cast bubbled to a firmly unifying crescendo, easily making this one of the year’s most thrilling locally produced pieces of theater. The show blew me away at every turn.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968851\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1265\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968851\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-800x506.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1020x645.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-768x486.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1536x972.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1920x1214.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez and the cast of ‘Angels in America.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Soaring ‘Angels in America’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland-theater-project\">Oakland Theater Project\u003c/a>’s exquisitely distilled \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em> stomped, glided and soared across the stage at Marin Shakespeare Company’s new digs in San Rafael. Remounts of this heaving contemporary epic with deep Bay Area roots are always highly anticipated events around these parts, and OTP’s version was a welcome addition to the firmament. From the inspired casting (including company stalwarts J Jha as Prior, and Lisa Ramirez as the Angel) to the bare-bones but carefully curated design choices and the full-throated demand for \u003cem>more life\u003c/em>, this production felt utterly of this time. That’s despite ostensibly being set in an earlier, similarly fraught era, when public health, personal faith and political machination collided in generationally shifting ways. Kudos to director Michael Moran for taking a big swing, and hitting a theatrical home run.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968847\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson in ‘Mexodus.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Solidarity Shined in Berkeley Rep’s ‘Mexodus’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If one of theater’s goals is to break new ground while bringing in a younger and more diverse patron base, then \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>’s production of \u003cem>Mexodus\u003c/em> was wildly successful. Channeling the art form of live looping in this two-hander, Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson fluttered and flew all over the stage while dropping sick beats everywhere. Their musical magic traversed multiple genres: hip-hop, reggaeton, bachata and classic Mexican bolero. In our fraught times, the message of unity between a Black slave and brown soldier through the Underground Railroad’s little known pathway into Mexico may be the show’s most hopeful lesson.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968855\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ai Yin Adelski, Laura Elaine Ellis and Jhia Jackson in Flyaway Productions’ ‘Ode to Jane.’ \u003ccite>(Brechin Flournoy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Dance Dance Revolution\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Election years seem to generate desire for two very different kinds of works: the resolutely political, and the resolutely \u003cem>not\u003c/em>. For the former, I found solace and solidarity emanating from the dance community. Standouts included Flyaway Productions’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tenderloinmuseum.org/public-programs-2024-2/10/4-12/ode-to-jane\">Ode to Jane\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, in which a fierce cohort of aerial performers scaled the walls of the Tenderloin’s Cadillac Hotel and soared over the streets to audio of abortion rights activists, community activators and a stirring score by Xoa Asa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the return of Dance Mission Theater’s \u003ca href=\"https://dancemissiontheater.org/2024/07/15/oct-13-nov-15-d-i-r-t-festival-2024/\">D.I.R.T. (Dance in Revolt-ing Times) Festival\u003c/a> included free outdoor activations in the form of embodied invocations led by Dance Brigade and guest artists, followed by pay-what-you-could indoor performances by powerhouse radicals such as the Embodiment Project, amara tabor-smith and Sara Shelton Mann. And over at Z Space, the barrier-breaking \u003ca href=\"https://seandorseydance.com/\">Sean Dorsey Dance\u003c/a> celebrated 20 years of cultivating trans and queer resistance via life-affirming, liberatory dance with a retrospective of early works.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968852\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1548\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-800x619.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1020x789.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-160x124.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-768x594.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1536x1189.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1920x1486.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Wiley Naman Strasser and Sam Jackson in ‘As You Like It’ at Cal Shakes — the final production in the company’s history. \u003ccite>(Craig Isaacs/BlueGoo photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Continued Rise (With One Tough Fall) of Outdoor Theater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area’s temperate summer climate makes us the envy of those who sweat, swelter and shrink elsewhere in the country. Sure, it’s a little chilly at night, but the cool fog rolling in is the stuff from which legendary songs are made. This year, summertime shows like \u003cem>Jersey Boys\u003c/em> at Oakland’s picturesque Woodminster Summer Musicals or the San Francisco Chinatown-inspired production of \u003cem>The Comedy of Errors\u003c/em> at Silicon Valley Shakespeare were dazzling in both spectacle and scenery. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, one of the Bay’s most perfect outdoor venues has officially \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">shut down for good\u003c/a>, and it’s impossible to overstate the impact on the Bay Area’s theater ecosystem. Many efforts were made to save \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/cal-shakes\">California Shakespeare Theater\u003c/a>, including a $350,000 fundraiser to bankroll its final production. Even a softening of the budget and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952927/zendaya-cal-shakes-north-star-fund-donation\">$100,000 gift from superstar (and Cal Shakes alum) Zendaya\u003c/a> could not stave off the inevitable. It’s depressing to think that Bruns Memorial Amphitheatre in Orinda, whose last production was \u003cem>As You Like It\u003c/em>, will now move forward only as a beautiful forest, “sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968849\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Andre Amarotico, Michael Gene Sullivan, Mikki Johnson in the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s production of ‘American Dreams.’ \u003ccite>(Mike Melnyk)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Go Out(side) and Play\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Speaking of the great outdoors, it’s been a particularly good year to take in a performance al fresco. From the joys of witnessing a mesmerizing Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe wreak magical havoc in SF Shakes’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sfshakes.org/performance/free-shakes/tempest/\">The Tempest\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, to the solace of SF Mime Troupe’s election-year production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmt.org/show-archive/american-dreams\">American Dreams\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, to a chance encounter with an afterlife-themed play — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dayofthedeadsf.org/skateboarding-through-bardos\">Skateboarding Through Bardos\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — during the Día de Los Muertos celebrations at Potrero del Sol Park, there were more than enough opportunities to scratch the theatre-going itch outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A couple of way-outside-the-black-box concepts that I hope make a comeback next year are San Francisco’s mid-Market block parties, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marketstreetarts.org/unstaged\">Unstaged\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which included a rollicking “jazz club” aboard the F-Market train, and the delightful, kid-oriented \u003ca href=\"https://www.pineconesandportals.com/aiw2024\">Pinecones and Portals\u003c/a> “Hiking Theater Company” which holds its performances in East Bay parks. Audiences follow the action literally along woodland trails, or huddle together around campfires for music, stories, and s’mores. How cool is that?\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1459\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968856\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-800x584.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1020x744.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-768x560.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1536x1121.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1920x1401.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dyana Diaz and Iris Diaz in ‘Paradise’ at La Lengua Teatro en Español in September.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Manuel Orbegozo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Cinco Años de la Lengua\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Producing theater in San Francisco can be viciously difficult and cost-restrictive, often quickly turning grand openings in grand closings. Fortunately, Virginia M. Blanco didn’t get that message. Blanco’s company, La Lengua Teatro en Español, continues to find new ways forward, with a September run of their critically-acclaimed, world premiere production \u003cem>Paradise\u003c/em> by Tere Martínez playing to sold out houses at the Mission’s Brava Theater Center studio space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blanco, a native Argentinian and the executive artistic director and founder of the company, has poured heart and soul into the venture, surrounding herself with a terrific team of like-minded, passionate creatives who’ve tapped into the Bay’s massive Spanish-speaking citizenry. The company is celebrating their fifth year of existence, and are now in a \u003ca href=\"https://givebutter.com/lalengua5years/davidmolina\">critical campaign\u003c/a> to secure funding for 2025. Despite the company being around since 2019, it certainly feels like they’re just getting started.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968850\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Lan (Sharon Omi) and Mai (Jenny Nguyen Nelson) are taken aback by consultant Vera (Rinabeth Apostol) in San Francisco Playhouse’s ‘My Home on the Moon.’ \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Future (Really) is Now\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It was a good year for staged speculative fictions, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-playhouse\">SF Playhouse\u003c/a>’s production of \u003cem>My Home on the Moon\u003c/em>, by Minna Lee, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/act\">ACT\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Big Data\u003c/em>, by Kate Atwell (both world premieres). The former was set in a simulverse inside a woman-owned, struggling Phở shop, where a community development “grant” from a corporate benefactor comes with a suspiciously helpful “consultant” named Vera (played impeccably by Rinabeth Apostol). With seemingly unflagging optimism for novelty and aphorism, Vera is eventually revealed to be AI, and when the newly decorated walls of the restaurant begin to crack and eventually transform, reality itself is revealed to be a fragmenting hall of mirrors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in Atwell’s \u003cem>Big Data\u003c/em>, the suspiciously helpful character “M” (a magnetic BD Wong) was the embodiment of “the” algorithm that dominates so much of what we consciously and unconsciously consume. Casually embedded in the everyday routines of a cast of interrelated characters, M had an uncanny ability to simultaneously attack and affirm, flirt and fight, and the startling results of his capricious, relentless campaign flipped the script, quite literally, by the play’s end. That both productions had incredible sets designed by Tanya Orellana was a welcome detail.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The world premiere of SFBATCO’s ‘Sign My Name to Freedom’ told the story of Bay Area icon Betty Reid Soskin, portrayed in four different phases of her life by (L–R) Cathleen Riddley, Aidaa Peerzada, Lucca Troutman and Tierra Allen.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Alexa 'LexMex' Treviño)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>SFBATCO Celebrates a Decade\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I first interviewed Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr. in 2014, when he was on tour in Motown: The Musical playing David Ruffin, which came with lead vocals on “My Girl.” That conversation with the native San Franciscan came around the same time his new theater venture, the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO), was kicking off. Jackson and co-founder Marcelo Javier’s company has made huge strides in the past 10 years, and is now considered one of the most critical developers of new work in the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, their New Roots Theatre Festival launched with a focus on developing new works from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. And one of the company’s highlights in 2024 was their scintillating world premiere musical \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13955108/betty-reid-soskin-stage-play-z-space-sign-my-name-to-freedom-review\">Sign My Name to Freedom\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, telling the story of 103-year-old Betty Reid Soskin and her rich history in the Bay Area, including her retirement as a national park ranger at the age of 100.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2024 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There’s no denying that theater continued to face massive obstacles in 2024. With audiences still choosing to stay home in large numbers, fundraising campaigns were often as common as season announcements, while consequential closures of legacy institutions stung the ecosystem as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, companies large and small continued to crank out successful, fantastic productions in the face of brutal headwinds — with some of the nation’s biggest touring productions adding cherries to our already massive regional theatrical sundae. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, theater critics and regular KQED contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez share their most significant Bay Area theater happenings of 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1248\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968854\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-800x499.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1020x636.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-768x479.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1536x958.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1920x1198.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jim (William Thomas Hodgson), Amanda (Susi Damilano), Laura (Nicole Javier) and Tom (Jomar Tagatac) in ‘The Glass Menagerie’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Truth of Illusion in ‘Glass Menagerie’ at SF Playhouse\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-playhouse\">San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a> in May, \u003cem>The Glass Menagerie\u003c/em>, one of Tennessee Williams’ most produced and haunting plays, served a master class in how to modernize a classic. First, find themes of relevance in our modern world through the fraught existence of the Wingfield family and its illusory protagonist Tom. Second, collect a bang-up cast of terrific performers. Third, let them cook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This production wrangled such explosiveness out of the piercing text, extracting lessons of race, class and sexuality in flaring new ways. Jeffrey Lo’s direction of his diverse cast bubbled to a firmly unifying crescendo, easily making this one of the year’s most thrilling locally produced pieces of theater. The show blew me away at every turn.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968851\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1265\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968851\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-800x506.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1020x645.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-768x486.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1536x972.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-1-1920x1214.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez and the cast of ‘Angels in America.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A Soaring ‘Angels in America’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/oakland-theater-project\">Oakland Theater Project\u003c/a>’s exquisitely distilled \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em> stomped, glided and soared across the stage at Marin Shakespeare Company’s new digs in San Rafael. Remounts of this heaving contemporary epic with deep Bay Area roots are always highly anticipated events around these parts, and OTP’s version was a welcome addition to the firmament. From the inspired casting (including company stalwarts J Jha as Prior, and Lisa Ramirez as the Angel) to the bare-bones but carefully curated design choices and the full-throated demand for \u003cem>more life\u003c/em>, this production felt utterly of this time. That’s despite ostensibly being set in an earlier, similarly fraught era, when public health, personal faith and political machination collided in generationally shifting ways. Kudos to director Michael Moran for taking a big swing, and hitting a theatrical home run.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968847\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968847\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mexodus_Production_2024_1581-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson in ‘Mexodus.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Solidarity Shined in Berkeley Rep’s ‘Mexodus’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If one of theater’s goals is to break new ground while bringing in a younger and more diverse patron base, then \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>’s production of \u003cem>Mexodus\u003c/em> was wildly successful. Channeling the art form of live looping in this two-hander, Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson fluttered and flew all over the stage while dropping sick beats everywhere. Their musical magic traversed multiple genres: hip-hop, reggaeton, bachata and classic Mexican bolero. In our fraught times, the message of unity between a Black slave and brown soldier through the Underground Railroad’s little known pathway into Mexico may be the show’s most hopeful lesson.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968855\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968855\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/01-Flyaway-Productions-Ode-to-Jane-Ai-Yin-Adelski-Laura-Elaine-Ellis-Jhia-Jackson-Photo-by-Brechin-Flournoy-1920x1440.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ai Yin Adelski, Laura Elaine Ellis and Jhia Jackson in Flyaway Productions’ ‘Ode to Jane.’ \u003ccite>(Brechin Flournoy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Dance Dance Revolution\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Election years seem to generate desire for two very different kinds of works: the resolutely political, and the resolutely \u003cem>not\u003c/em>. For the former, I found solace and solidarity emanating from the dance community. Standouts included Flyaway Productions’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.tenderloinmuseum.org/public-programs-2024-2/10/4-12/ode-to-jane\">Ode to Jane\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, in which a fierce cohort of aerial performers scaled the walls of the Tenderloin’s Cadillac Hotel and soared over the streets to audio of abortion rights activists, community activators and a stirring score by Xoa Asa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the return of Dance Mission Theater’s \u003ca href=\"https://dancemissiontheater.org/2024/07/15/oct-13-nov-15-d-i-r-t-festival-2024/\">D.I.R.T. (Dance in Revolt-ing Times) Festival\u003c/a> included free outdoor activations in the form of embodied invocations led by Dance Brigade and guest artists, followed by pay-what-you-could indoor performances by powerhouse radicals such as the Embodiment Project, amara tabor-smith and Sara Shelton Mann. And over at Z Space, the barrier-breaking \u003ca href=\"https://seandorseydance.com/\">Sean Dorsey Dance\u003c/a> celebrated 20 years of cultivating trans and queer resistance via life-affirming, liberatory dance with a retrospective of early works.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968852\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1548\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968852\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-800x619.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1020x789.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-160x124.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-768x594.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1536x1189.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-3-1920x1486.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Wiley Naman Strasser and Sam Jackson in ‘As You Like It’ at Cal Shakes — the final production in the company’s history. \u003ccite>(Craig Isaacs/BlueGoo photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Continued Rise (With One Tough Fall) of Outdoor Theater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area’s temperate summer climate makes us the envy of those who sweat, swelter and shrink elsewhere in the country. Sure, it’s a little chilly at night, but the cool fog rolling in is the stuff from which legendary songs are made. This year, summertime shows like \u003cem>Jersey Boys\u003c/em> at Oakland’s picturesque Woodminster Summer Musicals or the San Francisco Chinatown-inspired production of \u003cem>The Comedy of Errors\u003c/em> at Silicon Valley Shakespeare were dazzling in both spectacle and scenery. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sadly, one of the Bay’s most perfect outdoor venues has officially \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">shut down for good\u003c/a>, and it’s impossible to overstate the impact on the Bay Area’s theater ecosystem. Many efforts were made to save \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/cal-shakes\">California Shakespeare Theater\u003c/a>, including a $350,000 fundraiser to bankroll its final production. Even a softening of the budget and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13952927/zendaya-cal-shakes-north-star-fund-donation\">$100,000 gift from superstar (and Cal Shakes alum) Zendaya\u003c/a> could not stave off the inevitable. It’s depressing to think that Bruns Memorial Amphitheatre in Orinda, whose last production was \u003cem>As You Like It\u003c/em>, will now move forward only as a beautiful forest, “sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968849\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968849\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Mimetroupe-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Andre Amarotico, Michael Gene Sullivan, Mikki Johnson in the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s production of ‘American Dreams.’ \u003ccite>(Mike Melnyk)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Go Out(side) and Play\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Speaking of the great outdoors, it’s been a particularly good year to take in a performance al fresco. From the joys of witnessing a mesmerizing Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe wreak magical havoc in SF Shakes’ \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://sfshakes.org/performance/free-shakes/tempest/\">The Tempest\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, to the solace of SF Mime Troupe’s election-year production \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmt.org/show-archive/american-dreams\">American Dreams\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, to a chance encounter with an afterlife-themed play — \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.dayofthedeadsf.org/skateboarding-through-bardos\">Skateboarding Through Bardos\u003c/a>\u003c/em> — during the Día de Los Muertos celebrations at Potrero del Sol Park, there were more than enough opportunities to scratch the theatre-going itch outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A couple of way-outside-the-black-box concepts that I hope make a comeback next year are San Francisco’s mid-Market block parties, \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.marketstreetarts.org/unstaged\">Unstaged\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, which included a rollicking “jazz club” aboard the F-Market train, and the delightful, kid-oriented \u003ca href=\"https://www.pineconesandportals.com/aiw2024\">Pinecones and Portals\u003c/a> “Hiking Theater Company” which holds its performances in East Bay parks. Audiences follow the action literally along woodland trails, or huddle together around campfires for music, stories, and s’mores. How cool is that?\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968856\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1459\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968856\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-800x584.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1020x744.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-160x117.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-768x560.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1536x1121.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Paradise_LaLengua_ManuelOrbegozo-150-1920x1401.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dyana Diaz and Iris Diaz in ‘Paradise’ at La Lengua Teatro en Español in September.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Manuel Orbegozo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Cinco Años de la Lengua\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Producing theater in San Francisco can be viciously difficult and cost-restrictive, often quickly turning grand openings in grand closings. Fortunately, Virginia M. Blanco didn’t get that message. Blanco’s company, La Lengua Teatro en Español, continues to find new ways forward, with a September run of their critically-acclaimed, world premiere production \u003cem>Paradise\u003c/em> by Tere Martínez playing to sold out houses at the Mission’s Brava Theater Center studio space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Blanco, a native Argentinian and the executive artistic director and founder of the company, has poured heart and soul into the venture, surrounding herself with a terrific team of like-minded, passionate creatives who’ve tapped into the Bay’s massive Spanish-speaking citizenry. The company is celebrating their fifth year of existence, and are now in a \u003ca href=\"https://givebutter.com/lalengua5years/davidmolina\">critical campaign\u003c/a> to secure funding for 2025. Despite the company being around since 2019, it certainly feels like they’re just getting started.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968850\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968850\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/SFP_MyHomeOnTheMoon_JessicaPalopoli_2-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L-R) Lan (Sharon Omi) and Mai (Jenny Nguyen Nelson) are taken aback by consultant Vera (Rinabeth Apostol) in San Francisco Playhouse’s ‘My Home on the Moon.’ \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Future (Really) is Now\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It was a good year for staged speculative fictions, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-playhouse\">SF Playhouse\u003c/a>’s production of \u003cem>My Home on the Moon\u003c/em>, by Minna Lee, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/act\">ACT\u003c/a>’s \u003cem>Big Data\u003c/em>, by Kate Atwell (both world premieres). The former was set in a simulverse inside a woman-owned, struggling Phở shop, where a community development “grant” from a corporate benefactor comes with a suspiciously helpful “consultant” named Vera (played impeccably by Rinabeth Apostol). With seemingly unflagging optimism for novelty and aphorism, Vera is eventually revealed to be AI, and when the newly decorated walls of the restaurant begin to crack and eventually transform, reality itself is revealed to be a fragmenting hall of mirrors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in Atwell’s \u003cem>Big Data\u003c/em>, the suspiciously helpful character “M” (a magnetic BD Wong) was the embodiment of “the” algorithm that dominates so much of what we consciously and unconsciously consume. Casually embedded in the everyday routines of a cast of interrelated characters, M had an uncanny ability to simultaneously attack and affirm, flirt and fight, and the startling results of his capricious, relentless campaign flipped the script, quite literally, by the play’s end. That both productions had incredible sets designed by Tanya Orellana was a welcome detail.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13968853\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13968853\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/unnamed-4-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The world premiere of SFBATCO’s ‘Sign My Name to Freedom’ told the story of Bay Area icon Betty Reid Soskin, portrayed in four different phases of her life by (L–R) Cathleen Riddley, Aidaa Peerzada, Lucca Troutman and Tierra Allen.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Alexa 'LexMex' Treviño)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>SFBATCO Celebrates a Decade\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>I first interviewed Rodney Earl Jackson, Jr. in 2014, when he was on tour in Motown: The Musical playing David Ruffin, which came with lead vocals on “My Girl.” That conversation with the native San Franciscan came around the same time his new theater venture, the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company (SFBATCO), was kicking off. Jackson and co-founder Marcelo Javier’s company has made huge strides in the past 10 years, and is now considered one of the most critical developers of new work in the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2021, their New Roots Theatre Festival launched with a focus on developing new works from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ voices. And one of the company’s highlights in 2024 was their scintillating world premiere musical \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13955108/betty-reid-soskin-stage-play-z-space-sign-my-name-to-freedom-review\">Sign My Name to Freedom\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, telling the story of 103-year-old Betty Reid Soskin and her rich history in the Bay Area, including her retirement as a national park ranger at the age of 100.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-plays-musicals-bay-area-fall-2024-guide",
"title": "The Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall in the Bay Area",
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"headTitle": "The Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall in the Bay Area | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>This past July is officially on record as the hottest California month in decades. And while cooler temperatures will be ushered into the Bay Area soon, theater companies are hoping that local stages continue to stay hot well into the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Companies are also gearing up to showcase their most artistic selves while continuing to find creative ways to achieve and maintain financial solvency. Here are 10 terrific shows from Labor Day to Thanksgiving one can start with to help support Bay Area theater companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1301\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963219\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-800x542.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-1020x691.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-1536x1041.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarita Ocón and Hugo E. Carbajal in ‘Private Lives.’ \u003ccite>(Tim Fuller)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2024-25-season/private-lives/\">Private Lives\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 12–Oct. 6, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loathsome couple Elyot and Amanda aren’t looking for a reunion when they embark on a French vacation with new spouses. Yet the pull of their prior passions proves to be too much to resist, and a humor-filled comedy of manners ensues, rich with Noël Coward’s exquisite use of prose. A reunion of sorts from an acclaimed bilingual production of \u003cem>Romeo and Juliet\u003c/em> at Cal Shakes in 2022, multiple cast members now move to American Conservatory Theater’s Toni Rembe Theater to be directed by KJ Sanchez. The play’s original setting of France, meanwhile, is swapped out for Argentina, where an exotic and sensual tango informs Coward’s narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963072\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963072\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After serving as artistic director of the Peninsula’s Pear Theatre since early 2020, Sinjin Jones is entering his final season helming the company, kicking off the 2024 campaign directing the musical ‘Once on This Island.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Sinjin Jones)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/\">Once on This Island\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre, Palo Alto\u003cbr>\nSept. 13–Oct. 13, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story of a young Black peasant girl and the love she finds with a mixed-race aristocrat in Haiti is the basis for this one-act musical. While the show itself carries a history of consequential productions, its significance as the kickoff for The Pear Theatre season is tinted with an impending loss. Sinjin Jones, who took over as artistic director of the Palo Alto company in early 2020, will leave at the end of the 2025 season. Jones has played a vital role in leading the company through the pandemic, all while revitalizing the 22-year-old theater troupe by promoting diversity and equity in addition to strengthening the company’s educational and community programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963071\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1103\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963071\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-800x552.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-1020x703.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-768x529.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-1536x1059.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marie (Dominique Thorne) observes the wedding dress of Jaja (Somi Kakoma) in the Broadway production of ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,’ heading to Berkeley this fall.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Matthew Murphy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/jaja-s-african-hair-braiding/\">Jaja’s African Hair Braiding\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nNov. 8–Dec. 15, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playwright Jocelyn Bioh is no stranger to Berkeley Rep, having premiered the musical \u003cem>Goddess\u003c/em> there in 2022. Her next visit to the East Bay is with Broadway’s sleeper hit of last fall, \u003cem>Jaja’s African Hair Braiding\u003c/em>, with Whitney White returning to the director’s chair in this co-production with Arena Stage and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Bioh’s play is an exercise in joy with serious themes about immigration and access to the American dream, all fused with a scorching Afrobeat soundtrack of the genre’s biggest stars. The play also features one of the coolest stage effects in recent memory throughout the entire show, culminating in some true theater magic at the end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963070\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963070\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">TheatreWorks Silicon Valley artistic director Giovanna Sardelli and Pulitzer-finalist playwright Rajiv Joseph have developed a long collaboration over the years. Joseph’s play ‘King James’ kicks of TheatreWorks’s 54th season. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/king-james/\">King James\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003cbr>\nOct. 9–Nov. 3, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the rousing success of the United States men’s national basketball team, capped by a thrilling finish and a gold medal, there’s no better time to dive into this story of two friends who enter into an unexpected connection. These men, whose fortunes run through the early, prodigious career of Lebron James, are the creation of Pulitzer-finalist playwright Rajiv Joseph. TheatreWorks’ artistic director Giovanna Sardelli, a frequent collaborator of Joseph, kicks off the company’s 54th season directing this tale of hoops and hopes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963069\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1035\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963069\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-800x518.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-1020x660.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-768x497.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-1536x994.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The New Conservatory Theatre Center cast of ‘Ride the Cyclone,’ a show described as ‘weird and wondrous.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(New Conservatory Theatre Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://nctcsf.org/\">Ride the Cyclone\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 20–Oct. 20, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This grizzled and gritty musical follows a Canadian school choir group who perish on the Cyclone roller coaster — but, while in limbo, are offered a chance to return to life via a mechanical fortune teller. The piece has had a bit of a zany history since its 2008 premiere, created by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. The musical’s success reached something of a zenith in 2022 – on TikTok, millions of Gen Z users began diving deep into \u003cem>Ride the Cyclone\u003c/em> songs, stories and lore. The musical is dark, but also quite fun, and its regional premiere gives the Bay Area a chance to see what the hype is all about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"679\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963068\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sara Porkalob, seen here during the Marin Theatre Company production of ‘Dragon Lady’ in November of 2023, weaves a captivating tale of her grandmother’s perilous journey from Manila to the United States. Porkalob’s one-person show makes a return to the Bay Area via Walnut Creek at Center Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lesherartscenter.org/programs/center-repertory-company\">Dragon Lady\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Center Repertory Company, Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\nOct. 27–Nov. 24, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle’s Sara Porkalob is a piercing, shooting star, tackling the theater world on her own terms, and her trilogy of plays that chronicle the women in her life are produced all over the country. For those who missed her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13938714/powerful-dragon-lady-weaves-tales-of-trauma-karaoke-and-a-very-memorable-matriarch\">critically acclaimed run\u003c/a> in Marin last fall of \u003cem>Dragon Lady\u003c/em>, where she morphs into multiple characters while showcasing her buttery singing voice, a second chance in Walnut Creek is a gift. Presented in association with Marin Theatre Company, Porkalob’s one-person show about her grandmother’s perilous and painful journey from Manila to the United States is a masterclass in how to command a theater space with splash and panache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963076\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963076\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner.jpg 640w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tony Kushner’s ‘Angels in America’ gets a reimagined production from the Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Maury Phillips/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/angels\">Angels in America, Parts I and II\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project at Marin Shakespeare Company\u003cbr>\nSept. 27–Oct. 27, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this interpretation of one of theater’s greatest achievements, Tony Kushner’s two-part opus \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em>, Oakland Theater Project goes on the road to San Rafael at Marin Shakespeare Company’s new indoor space. Kushner is not known for writing pieces that are slim, and over two plays, \u003cem>Angels\u003c/em> easily surpasses seven hours. But what exists within those hours is incredibly powerful, raw and utterly thrilling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are endless themes within this story about AIDS’ impact on multiple couples in 1985. The Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play encompasses the taboo of homosexuality in the 1980s, the AIDS crisis that disproportionately impacted gay couples, and the crisis of religious faith, all intersecting with appearances by historical figures. The Bay Area is home to \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em> in many ways, from its initial commission at the former Eureka Theatre in San Francisco in 1990 to a hugely consequential production at Berkeley Rep in 2018. (Lisa Ramirez, featured in OTP’s production, also played The Angel in Berkeley that year.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lizzie Borden case is fodder for a new punk musical. \u003ccite>(Bill Greene/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://6thstreetplayhouse.com/shows/2024-25/lizzie-the-musical/\">Lizzie: The Musical\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa\u003cbr>\nOct. 4–27, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father and stepmother in 1892. In 1893, she was fully acquitted and lived the rest of her life in the same city the murders took place, Fall River, Massachusetts. And now, in Santa Rosa in 2024, her story is ready to shred at 6th Street Playhouse in the form of the 2009 rock musical. Expect all the components that make for a brutal tale of rage, sex, murder and mystery, plus power chords. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a precursor to the bloody delights of the visceral musical’s sharp rock score, some gentler fare is going down at 6th Street, with the musical \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://6thstreetplayhouse.com/shows/2024-25/four-guys-named-jose-and-una-mujer-named-maria/\">4 Guys Named José…and Una Mujer Named María\u003c/a>\u003c/em> opening at the end of August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963078\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1231\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-800x492.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1020x628.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-768x473.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1536x945.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1920x1182.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sam Jackson, left, takes on the joyful role of Rosalind, pursuing the love of Orlando, played by Wiley Naman Strasser, in Cal Shakes’s 50th anniversary production of William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ in Orinda. \u003ccite>(Cal Shakes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/asyoulikeit/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bruns Amphitheater, Orinda\u003cbr>\nSept. 12–29, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Shakes faced some serious uphill battles to produce their first full production in two years, implementing a fundraising campaign that netted $365,000 — over their stated goal. While the future of the company is still fluid (the fundraiser is only supplementing the budget for this production), the company is firmly focused this 50th anniversary production of William Shakespeare’s classic at their picturesque outdoor space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elizabeth Carter directs this pastoral comedy with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved female characters, Rosalind, who flees persecution in search of safety and love in the Forest of Arden, with many colorful characters entering her world along the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"501\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13963079\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami-768x481.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.zspace.org/murakami\">Murakami: The Strange Library\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Z Space and Word for Word, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nNov. 13–Dec. 8, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A library best described as a nightmare is the setting for Haruki Murakami’s short novel \u003cem>The Strange Library\u003c/em>. With a lonely young boy, a mysterious girl and a tortured sheep man, the story is brought to life by Word for Word, a program of Z Space. The program has performed more than 70 stories since 1996, bringing theatrical flair to written word of all types. Lead teaching artist with the Youth Theater Project Lisa Hori-Garcia collaborates with Bay Area actor and designer Keiko Shimosato Carreiro to direct Murakami’s popular children’s story.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "Your Guide to the Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This past July is officially on record as the hottest California month in decades. And while cooler temperatures will be ushered into the Bay Area soon, theater companies are hoping that local stages continue to stay hot well into the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Companies are also gearing up to showcase their most artistic selves while continuing to find creative ways to achieve and maintain financial solvency. Here are 10 terrific shows from Labor Day to Thanksgiving one can start with to help support Bay Area theater companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963219\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1301\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963219\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-800x542.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-1020x691.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-768x520.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Opt_6B5A2580_Credit-Tim-Fuller-1536x1041.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sarita Ocón and Hugo E. Carbajal in ‘Private Lives.’ \u003ccite>(Tim Fuller)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2024-25-season/private-lives/\">Private Lives\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 12–Oct. 6, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loathsome couple Elyot and Amanda aren’t looking for a reunion when they embark on a French vacation with new spouses. Yet the pull of their prior passions proves to be too much to resist, and a humor-filled comedy of manners ensues, rich with Noël Coward’s exquisite use of prose. A reunion of sorts from an acclaimed bilingual production of \u003cem>Romeo and Juliet\u003c/em> at Cal Shakes in 2022, multiple cast members now move to American Conservatory Theater’s Toni Rembe Theater to be directed by KJ Sanchez. The play’s original setting of France, meanwhile, is swapped out for Argentina, where an exotic and sensual tango informs Coward’s narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963072\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963072\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-1020x765.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">After serving as artistic director of the Peninsula’s Pear Theatre since early 2020, Sinjin Jones is entering his final season helming the company, kicking off the 2024 campaign directing the musical ‘Once on This Island.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Sinjin Jones)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/\">Once on This Island\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre, Palo Alto\u003cbr>\nSept. 13–Oct. 13, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story of a young Black peasant girl and the love she finds with a mixed-race aristocrat in Haiti is the basis for this one-act musical. While the show itself carries a history of consequential productions, its significance as the kickoff for The Pear Theatre season is tinted with an impending loss. Sinjin Jones, who took over as artistic director of the Palo Alto company in early 2020, will leave at the end of the 2025 season. Jones has played a vital role in leading the company through the pandemic, all while revitalizing the 22-year-old theater troupe by promoting diversity and equity in addition to strengthening the company’s educational and community programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963071\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1103\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963071\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-800x552.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-1020x703.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-768x529.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-2-1536x1059.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marie (Dominique Thorne) observes the wedding dress of Jaja (Somi Kakoma) in the Broadway production of ‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,’ heading to Berkeley this fall.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Matthew Murphy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/jaja-s-african-hair-braiding/\">Jaja’s African Hair Braiding\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nNov. 8–Dec. 15, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playwright Jocelyn Bioh is no stranger to Berkeley Rep, having premiered the musical \u003cem>Goddess\u003c/em> there in 2022. Her next visit to the East Bay is with Broadway’s sleeper hit of last fall, \u003cem>Jaja’s African Hair Braiding\u003c/em>, with Whitney White returning to the director’s chair in this co-production with Arena Stage and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Bioh’s play is an exercise in joy with serious themes about immigration and access to the American dream, all fused with a scorching Afrobeat soundtrack of the genre’s biggest stars. The play also features one of the coolest stage effects in recent memory throughout the entire show, culminating in some true theater magic at the end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963070\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963070\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-3-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">TheatreWorks Silicon Valley artistic director Giovanna Sardelli and Pulitzer-finalist playwright Rajiv Joseph have developed a long collaboration over the years. Joseph’s play ‘King James’ kicks of TheatreWorks’s 54th season. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/king-james/\">King James\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003cbr>\nOct. 9–Nov. 3, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After the rousing success of the United States men’s national basketball team, capped by a thrilling finish and a gold medal, there’s no better time to dive into this story of two friends who enter into an unexpected connection. These men, whose fortunes run through the early, prodigious career of Lebron James, are the creation of Pulitzer-finalist playwright Rajiv Joseph. TheatreWorks’ artistic director Giovanna Sardelli, a frequent collaborator of Joseph, kicks off the company’s 54th season directing this tale of hoops and hopes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963069\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1035\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963069\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-800x518.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-1020x660.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-768x497.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-4-1536x994.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The New Conservatory Theatre Center cast of ‘Ride the Cyclone,’ a show described as ‘weird and wondrous.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(New Conservatory Theatre Center)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://nctcsf.org/\">Ride the Cyclone\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 20–Oct. 20, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This grizzled and gritty musical follows a Canadian school choir group who perish on the Cyclone roller coaster — but, while in limbo, are offered a chance to return to life via a mechanical fortune teller. The piece has had a bit of a zany history since its 2008 premiere, created by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell. The musical’s success reached something of a zenith in 2022 – on TikTok, millions of Gen Z users began diving deep into \u003cem>Ride the Cyclone\u003c/em> songs, stories and lore. The musical is dark, but also quite fun, and its regional premiere gives the Bay Area a chance to see what the hype is all about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963068\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1020px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1020\" height=\"679\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963068\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/unnamed-5-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sara Porkalob, seen here during the Marin Theatre Company production of ‘Dragon Lady’ in November of 2023, weaves a captivating tale of her grandmother’s perilous journey from Manila to the United States. Porkalob’s one-person show makes a return to the Bay Area via Walnut Creek at Center Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lesherartscenter.org/programs/center-repertory-company\">Dragon Lady\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Center Repertory Company, Walnut Creek\u003cbr>\nOct. 27–Nov. 24, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle’s Sara Porkalob is a piercing, shooting star, tackling the theater world on her own terms, and her trilogy of plays that chronicle the women in her life are produced all over the country. For those who missed her \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13938714/powerful-dragon-lady-weaves-tales-of-trauma-karaoke-and-a-very-memorable-matriarch\">critically acclaimed run\u003c/a> in Marin last fall of \u003cem>Dragon Lady\u003c/em>, where she morphs into multiple characters while showcasing her buttery singing voice, a second chance in Walnut Creek is a gift. Presented in association with Marin Theatre Company, Porkalob’s one-person show about her grandmother’s perilous and painful journey from Manila to the United States is a masterclass in how to command a theater space with splash and panache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963076\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 640px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963076\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner.jpg 640w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/TonyKushner-160x90.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tony Kushner’s ‘Angels in America’ gets a reimagined production from the Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Maury Phillips/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/angels\">Angels in America, Parts I and II\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project at Marin Shakespeare Company\u003cbr>\nSept. 27–Oct. 27, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For this interpretation of one of theater’s greatest achievements, Tony Kushner’s two-part opus \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em>, Oakland Theater Project goes on the road to San Rafael at Marin Shakespeare Company’s new indoor space. Kushner is not known for writing pieces that are slim, and over two plays, \u003cem>Angels\u003c/em> easily surpasses seven hours. But what exists within those hours is incredibly powerful, raw and utterly thrilling.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are endless themes within this story about AIDS’ impact on multiple couples in 1985. The Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning play encompasses the taboo of homosexuality in the 1980s, the AIDS crisis that disproportionately impacted gay couples, and the crisis of religious faith, all intersecting with appearances by historical figures. The Bay Area is home to \u003cem>Angels in America\u003c/em> in many ways, from its initial commission at the former Eureka Theatre in San Francisco in 1990 to a hugely consequential production at Berkeley Rep in 2018. (Lisa Ramirez, featured in OTP’s production, also played The Angel in Berkeley that year.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-141199711-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Lizzie Borden case is fodder for a new punk musical. \u003ccite>(Bill Greene/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://6thstreetplayhouse.com/shows/2024-25/lizzie-the-musical/\">Lizzie: The Musical\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa\u003cbr>\nOct. 4–27, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father and stepmother in 1892. In 1893, she was fully acquitted and lived the rest of her life in the same city the murders took place, Fall River, Massachusetts. And now, in Santa Rosa in 2024, her story is ready to shred at 6th Street Playhouse in the form of the 2009 rock musical. Expect all the components that make for a brutal tale of rage, sex, murder and mystery, plus power chords. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a precursor to the bloody delights of the visceral musical’s sharp rock score, some gentler fare is going down at 6th Street, with the musical \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://6thstreetplayhouse.com/shows/2024-25/four-guys-named-jose-and-una-mujer-named-maria/\">4 Guys Named José…and Una Mujer Named María\u003c/a>\u003c/em> opening at the end of August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13963078\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1231\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13963078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-800x492.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1020x628.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-160x98.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-768x473.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1536x945.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/AsYouLikeIt-1-1920x1182.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sam Jackson, left, takes on the joyful role of Rosalind, pursuing the love of Orlando, played by Wiley Naman Strasser, in Cal Shakes’s 50th anniversary production of William Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’ in Orinda. \u003ccite>(Cal Shakes)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/asyoulikeit/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Bruns Amphitheater, Orinda\u003cbr>\nSept. 12–29, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Shakes faced some serious uphill battles to produce their first full production in two years, implementing a fundraising campaign that netted $365,000 — over their stated goal. While the future of the company is still fluid (the fundraiser is only supplementing the budget for this production), the company is firmly focused this 50th anniversary production of William Shakespeare’s classic at their picturesque outdoor space.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Elizabeth Carter directs this pastoral comedy with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved female characters, Rosalind, who flees persecution in search of safety and love in the Forest of Arden, with many colorful characters entering her world along the way.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"501\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13963079\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami-160x100.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/Murakami-768x481.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.zspace.org/murakami\">Murakami: The Strange Library\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Z Space and Word for Word, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nNov. 13–Dec. 8, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A library best described as a nightmare is the setting for Haruki Murakami’s short novel \u003cem>The Strange Library\u003c/em>. With a lonely young boy, a mysterious girl and a tortured sheep man, the story is brought to life by Word for Word, a program of Z Space. The program has performed more than 70 stories since 1996, bringing theatrical flair to written word of all types. Lead teaching artist with the Youth Theater Project Lisa Hori-Garcia collaborates with Bay Area actor and designer Keiko Shimosato Carreiro to direct Murakami’s popular children’s story.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "A Bumpy Return Trip to Oklahoma for Tom Joad’s Descendants",
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"content": "\u003cp>There is a searing urgency to the lyrical poetry and luscious prose of playwright Octavio Solis. In his Berkeley Repertory Theatre debut production of \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>, each character has a mission to “dale gas,” a Spanish phrase that urges a firm pedal to the metal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite some storytelling that veers into quizzical directions, it’s that very urgency that provides \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> with its sharpest moments, informed by one of literature’s most decorated novels. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Steinbeck’s Pultizer- and Nobel-winning \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em> provides the texture for this modern sequel, borne of Solis’ grand imagination and brought to the stage via David Mendizábal’s sharp direction. The 1939 novel’s flawed yet virtuous hero Tom Joad is heavily present in \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>, as his bloodline runs deep inside his descendant, Martín Jodes (Emilio Garcia-Sanchez). \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960264\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960264\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cher Álvarez (Amelia), James Carpenter (William Joad), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Martín doesn’t have much going for himself in California. He struggles to make ends meet as a migrant farmworker, moving from crop to crop. A marriage engagement to Amelia (Cher Álvarez) has gone kaput. So when a man named William Joad (James Carpenter) arrives with a mysterious proposition to bequeath 2,000 acres of Oklahoma land to Joad descendant Martín, the young man joins his older relative in a return trip to Oklahoma on Route 66, which Steinbeck dubbed “The Mother Road.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That legendary stretch of highway, which held so much peril for the Joad clan, offered the false and cruel hopes of a California where golden crops and crisp bills grew everywhere. While the Dust Bowl caused tenant farmers to flee Oklahoma in the 1930s due to economic hardship, drought and agricultural shifts, Martín, despite seeing the state as less than desirable, sees it giving his fortunes a massive boost. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That boost is not just reserved to these two road-trip compatriots, with Martín hopeful and William battling life-threatening health issues. The newfound power of Martín means hiring his passion-fueled cousin Mo (Lindsay Rico), who provides a burst of energy essential to any good road trip story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960265\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960265\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniel Duque-Estrada (Abelardo), Lindsay Rico (Mo), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Joyous moments come as the trio barrels down Route 66 in their beat-up pickup truck. (The truck itself is one of the stars of the show, with many bells and whistles — even a restaurant complete with neon sign, inside the vehicle — designed by Tanya Orellana.) Yet the road is still filled with the dangers of modern society, especially when a brown man and queer brown woman are riding in a sketchy vehicle through unwelcoming locales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyone who loves \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em> will be pleased to engage in this adaptation. Several Easter eggs recall the harrowing nature of the Joad family. As in the novel, the dream of acquiring land and the role of protectors expanding in this modern universe is ever-present. There is a luscious excitement in connecting the brutal parallels of Tom and Martín, with each tasked to deliver critical oration that punctuates the story. (Sound by Jake Rodriguez and original music by Ritmos Tropicosmos provide scintillating texture.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Garcia-Sanchez’s performance lacks in variety is made up for by his brooding intensity. Paired with Carpenter, a veteran of the highest order, their chemistry can sometimes be hit-or-miss. They craft a bond that isn’t always fluid, but their willingness to engage and share each of their character’s vulnerabilities pushes the story toward a satisfying, powerful denouement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960263\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960263\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael Moreland Milligan (Roger), Benny Wayne Sully (Curtis), Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes), Courtney Walsh (Ivy), and Branden Davon Lindsay (James) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The multiple characterizations of the cast are highlighted beautifully by Álvarez, who lets her various characters breathe inside some powerful discoveries. Solis emphasizes multiple stylings and humor in his narrative; one of the most effective moments comes when Álvarez delivers some critical words in Spanish. Rico’s Mo offers up laughs in some nice setups, while in one embattled moment, her range powerfully comes into play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> could use a bit of trimming to tighten its narrative, the story still has a gripping power, coming from some of the greatest source material in literature. Solis handles his inspiration from Steinbeck with aplomb, and \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> accentuates one devastating fact consistently: In a world that has always offered more danger than respite to its most marginalized, sometimes the best thing to do is hit the pavement hard and “dale gas,” no matter what.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Mother Road’ runs through Sunday, July 21 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/mother-road/\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There is a searing urgency to the lyrical poetry and luscious prose of playwright Octavio Solis. In his Berkeley Repertory Theatre debut production of \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>, each character has a mission to “dale gas,” a Spanish phrase that urges a firm pedal to the metal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite some storytelling that veers into quizzical directions, it’s that very urgency that provides \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> with its sharpest moments, informed by one of literature’s most decorated novels. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>John Steinbeck’s Pultizer- and Nobel-winning \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em> provides the texture for this modern sequel, borne of Solis’ grand imagination and brought to the stage via David Mendizábal’s sharp direction. The 1939 novel’s flawed yet virtuous hero Tom Joad is heavily present in \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>, as his bloodline runs deep inside his descendant, Martín Jodes (Emilio Garcia-Sanchez). \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960264\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960264\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_074-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cher Álvarez (Amelia), James Carpenter (William Joad), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Martín doesn’t have much going for himself in California. He struggles to make ends meet as a migrant farmworker, moving from crop to crop. A marriage engagement to Amelia (Cher Álvarez) has gone kaput. So when a man named William Joad (James Carpenter) arrives with a mysterious proposition to bequeath 2,000 acres of Oklahoma land to Joad descendant Martín, the young man joins his older relative in a return trip to Oklahoma on Route 66, which Steinbeck dubbed “The Mother Road.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That legendary stretch of highway, which held so much peril for the Joad clan, offered the false and cruel hopes of a California where golden crops and crisp bills grew everywhere. While the Dust Bowl caused tenant farmers to flee Oklahoma in the 1930s due to economic hardship, drought and agricultural shifts, Martín, despite seeing the state as less than desirable, sees it giving his fortunes a massive boost. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That boost is not just reserved to these two road-trip compatriots, with Martín hopeful and William battling life-threatening health issues. The newfound power of Martín means hiring his passion-fueled cousin Mo (Lindsay Rico), who provides a burst of energy essential to any good road trip story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960265\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960265\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_104-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Daniel Duque-Estrada (Abelardo), Lindsay Rico (Mo), and Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Joyous moments come as the trio barrels down Route 66 in their beat-up pickup truck. (The truck itself is one of the stars of the show, with many bells and whistles — even a restaurant complete with neon sign, inside the vehicle — designed by Tanya Orellana.) Yet the road is still filled with the dangers of modern society, especially when a brown man and queer brown woman are riding in a sketchy vehicle through unwelcoming locales.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Anyone who loves \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em> will be pleased to engage in this adaptation. Several Easter eggs recall the harrowing nature of the Joad family. As in the novel, the dream of acquiring land and the role of protectors expanding in this modern universe is ever-present. There is a luscious excitement in connecting the brutal parallels of Tom and Martín, with each tasked to deliver critical oration that punctuates the story. (Sound by Jake Rodriguez and original music by Ritmos Tropicosmos provide scintillating texture.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What Garcia-Sanchez’s performance lacks in variety is made up for by his brooding intensity. Paired with Carpenter, a veteran of the highest order, their chemistry can sometimes be hit-or-miss. They craft a bond that isn’t always fluid, but their willingness to engage and share each of their character’s vulnerabilities pushes the story toward a satisfying, powerful denouement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13960263\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13960263\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/MTR_137-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Michael Moreland Milligan (Roger), Benny Wayne Sully (Curtis), Emilio Garcia-Sanchez (Martín Jodes), Courtney Walsh (Ivy), and Branden Davon Lindsay (James) in ‘Mother Road,’ by Octavio Solis, at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The multiple characterizations of the cast are highlighted beautifully by Álvarez, who lets her various characters breathe inside some powerful discoveries. Solis emphasizes multiple stylings and humor in his narrative; one of the most effective moments comes when Álvarez delivers some critical words in Spanish. Rico’s Mo offers up laughs in some nice setups, while in one embattled moment, her range powerfully comes into play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> could use a bit of trimming to tighten its narrative, the story still has a gripping power, coming from some of the greatest source material in literature. Solis handles his inspiration from Steinbeck with aplomb, and \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em> accentuates one devastating fact consistently: In a world that has always offered more danger than respite to its most marginalized, sometimes the best thing to do is hit the pavement hard and “dale gas,” no matter what.\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Mother Road’ runs through Sunday, July 21 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/mother-road/\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "A Battle Between Science and Religion, With Galileo Caught in the Middle",
"headTitle": "A Battle Between Science and Religion, With Galileo Caught in the Middle | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>During the Renaissance era, the conflicting bedfellows of religion and science had clear delineations, dictated by Earth’s highest stewards to Heaven’s gates. “Science asks questions, but the Bible gives the answers,” thundered Pope Urban VIII, verbalizing the view of many in Europe’s 16th and 17th centuries. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Galileo Galilei fancied himself a strong purveyor of both the scientific and theological, his moral core of truth at the center of his existence faced a brutal reckoning — one that ultimately ripped both his body and soul to shreds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13957684']In the spellbinding yet problematic world premiere musical \u003cem>Galileo\u003c/em>, which opened May 15 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, discoveries made in both science and religion complicate matters. Its storyline is greatly informed by the modern-day war on truth, loaded with a ceaselessly high-octane rock music score exploited mightily by the wicked talents of director Michael Mayer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958078\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jeremy Kushnier (Bishop Maffeo Barberini) and Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei) in the world premiere of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Galileo Galilei (Raúl Esparza) has taken root in his laboratory, a man of 45 who has trouble blindly accepting the religious view that Earth is the center of the universe. After all, that view had been challenged years prior by fellow polymath Nicolaus Copernicus in the famed heliocentric model, where Earth and other planets were shown to revolve around the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An affirmation of those teachings, thanks to Galileo’s enhancement of the telescope, has proved unsatisfactory to the dominant biblical divinity of Catholic doctrine, which citizens believe to be infallible. Yet Galileo still carries some support, despite the dominance of Cardinal Morosini (Javier Muñoz), who gives no space for what he perceives as anti-Bible sentiments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13957845']The support of Galileo’s close ally Bishop Barberini (Jeremy Kushnier) contributes greatly to his desire to continue locking horns with the Catholic establishment, and when Barberini is elevated as pontiff and becomes Pope Urban VIII, Galileo is poised to break through and declare truth the victor. Yet an effort by the pope to slow the public acceleration of Galileo’s scientific theories, introduced in Galileo’s book comparing the Copernican system with the accepted and less truthful Ptolemaic system, comes with an offensive slight, accelerating Galileo’s demise. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958080\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei, center) and the cast of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So many elements of spectacle allow the musical to brew and breathe within a white-hot fire, with music thrusting itself to the top of the ticket. Composers Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarnak unleash consecutive bangers, challenging their vocalists with vein-popping verve, melodies and divine harmonies as persistent as Galileo himself. Those compositions are nestled neatly inside Danny Strong’s book. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each challenge is accepted by the cast, led by Broadway stalwart Esparza, who digs mightily into every ounce of his scintillating, grizzled register. A delicious counterpoint to Esparza’s wide-ranging vocals is his commitment to Galileo’s painful and joyous discoveries. His eyes accentuate each arc in every moment, a broken and beaten man who is constantly reminded that power decides truth, not the other way around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christian Magby (Alessandro Tarantola) and Madalynn Mathews (Virginia Galilei) in the world premiere of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kushnier’s mellifluity lives within its own constellation, a buttery-smooth falsetto that spotlights tenderness and admiration for Galileo, especially in his solo “By Thy Light I See.” Muñoz, Esparza’s fellow Broadway star, commands respect as the uncompromising Morosini, and Madelynn Mathews as Galileo’s embattled daughter Virginia, whose illegitimacy thrusts her away from love and into a cloistered life, gives a master class in vocals and empathy. These four craft a narrative that elevates the entire company in a show that gets louder and louder as time passes. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where the piece needs harnessing begins late in the second act, when a certain theme carries on much too long, ultimately diluting the critical nature of its voice. It’s as if the concept of truth and its virtues need constant repeating, which drags the entire narrative down. A piece that moves towards three hours needs to slap incessantly; this is not the case here. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958081\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958081\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei) and the cast of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, the show feels as if it’s hurtling somewhere with no expense spared, especially through the technical design. Scenic work by Tony Award winner Rachel Hauck pairs beautifully with Anita Yavich’s nuanced and sparkly costume plot. Jason H. Thompson, along with Kaitlyn Pietras, go all in on Christian symbolism through their passionate projection design, combined sharply with the lighting of Kevin Adams. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are many morsels that challenge in Strong’s book, and a critical question is posed: “When does the truth cost too much?” Thankfully for Galileo, and in a lesson for the masses, a legacy and the truth are not for sale. \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Galileo’ runs through June 23 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in downtown Berkeley. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/galileo/\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>During the Renaissance era, the conflicting bedfellows of religion and science had clear delineations, dictated by Earth’s highest stewards to Heaven’s gates. “Science asks questions, but the Bible gives the answers,” thundered Pope Urban VIII, verbalizing the view of many in Europe’s 16th and 17th centuries. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Galileo Galilei fancied himself a strong purveyor of both the scientific and theological, his moral core of truth at the center of his existence faced a brutal reckoning — one that ultimately ripped both his body and soul to shreds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In the spellbinding yet problematic world premiere musical \u003cem>Galileo\u003c/em>, which opened May 15 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, discoveries made in both science and religion complicate matters. Its storyline is greatly informed by the modern-day war on truth, loaded with a ceaselessly high-octane rock music score exploited mightily by the wicked talents of director Michael Mayer. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958078\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958078\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_147-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jeremy Kushnier (Bishop Maffeo Barberini) and Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei) in the world premiere of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Galileo Galilei (Raúl Esparza) has taken root in his laboratory, a man of 45 who has trouble blindly accepting the religious view that Earth is the center of the universe. After all, that view had been challenged years prior by fellow polymath Nicolaus Copernicus in the famed heliocentric model, where Earth and other planets were shown to revolve around the sun.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An affirmation of those teachings, thanks to Galileo’s enhancement of the telescope, has proved unsatisfactory to the dominant biblical divinity of Catholic doctrine, which citizens believe to be infallible. Yet Galileo still carries some support, despite the dominance of Cardinal Morosini (Javier Muñoz), who gives no space for what he perceives as anti-Bible sentiments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The support of Galileo’s close ally Bishop Barberini (Jeremy Kushnier) contributes greatly to his desire to continue locking horns with the Catholic establishment, and when Barberini is elevated as pontiff and becomes Pope Urban VIII, Galileo is poised to break through and declare truth the victor. Yet an effort by the pope to slow the public acceleration of Galileo’s scientific theories, introduced in Galileo’s book comparing the Copernican system with the accepted and less truthful Ptolemaic system, comes with an offensive slight, accelerating Galileo’s demise. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958080\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_060-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei, center) and the cast of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>So many elements of spectacle allow the musical to brew and breathe within a white-hot fire, with music thrusting itself to the top of the ticket. Composers Michael Weiner and Zoe Sarnak unleash consecutive bangers, challenging their vocalists with vein-popping verve, melodies and divine harmonies as persistent as Galileo himself. Those compositions are nestled neatly inside Danny Strong’s book. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each challenge is accepted by the cast, led by Broadway stalwart Esparza, who digs mightily into every ounce of his scintillating, grizzled register. A delicious counterpoint to Esparza’s wide-ranging vocals is his commitment to Galileo’s painful and joyous discoveries. His eyes accentuate each arc in every moment, a broken and beaten man who is constantly reminded that power decides truth, not the other way around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958077\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958077\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_102-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christian Magby (Alessandro Tarantola) and Madalynn Mathews (Virginia Galilei) in the world premiere of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kushnier’s mellifluity lives within its own constellation, a buttery-smooth falsetto that spotlights tenderness and admiration for Galileo, especially in his solo “By Thy Light I See.” Muñoz, Esparza’s fellow Broadway star, commands respect as the uncompromising Morosini, and Madelynn Mathews as Galileo’s embattled daughter Virginia, whose illegitimacy thrusts her away from love and into a cloistered life, gives a master class in vocals and empathy. These four craft a narrative that elevates the entire company in a show that gets louder and louder as time passes. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Where the piece needs harnessing begins late in the second act, when a certain theme carries on much too long, ultimately diluting the critical nature of its voice. It’s as if the concept of truth and its virtues need constant repeating, which drags the entire narrative down. A piece that moves towards three hours needs to slap incessantly; this is not the case here. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13958081\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13958081\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/GLO_188-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raúl Esparza (Galileo Galilei) and the cast of ‘Galileo: A Rock Musical’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Still, the show feels as if it’s hurtling somewhere with no expense spared, especially through the technical design. Scenic work by Tony Award winner Rachel Hauck pairs beautifully with Anita Yavich’s nuanced and sparkly costume plot. Jason H. Thompson, along with Kaitlyn Pietras, go all in on Christian symbolism through their passionate projection design, combined sharply with the lighting of Kevin Adams. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are many morsels that challenge in Strong’s book, and a critical question is posed: “When does the truth cost too much?” Thankfully for Galileo, and in a lesson for the masses, a legacy and the truth are not for sale. \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Galileo’ runs through June 23 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in downtown Berkeley. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/galileo/\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Your Guide to the Best Plays and Musicals in the Bay Area This Summer",
"headTitle": "Your Guide to the Best Plays and Musicals in the Bay Area This Summer | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>This summer, Bay Area theater offers something for everyone. Whether you’re seeking out experimental offerings, a tried-and-true Shakespeare classic under the stars, or some hefty song and dance Broadway style, the Bay Area’s summer has you covered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are 10 shows in the Bay Area from June to early September that are not to be missed. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1432\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957713\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-768x573.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-1536x1146.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fact-checking and copy editing take center stage in ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ at Aurora Theatre this summer. \u003ccite>(Aurora Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/fact\">The Lifespan of a Fact\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aurora Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nJune 21–July 25, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Fingal is a newly minted Harvard grad who takes a job at a consequential magazine as a fact-checker. That consequence has softened, however, since the magazine is now hanging by a thread. An essay from mega-talent John D’Agata, about a teen boy’s suicide, could change the magazine’s fortunes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s one major problem — the actual facts of the story are shaky at best, placing both characters into a battle between truth and fiction. (The play’s heralded 2018 Broadway run featured actors Bobby Cannavale, Daniel Radcliffe and Cherry Jones.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no better time to support Aurora, a gem of a small theater in Berkeley. Like many theaters post-pandemic, the company faces a major funding shortfall, and are in \u003ca href=\"https://givebutter.com/AuroraSpring24\">an active campaign\u003c/a> to save their artistic outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1665px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1665\" height=\"1143\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych.jpg 1665w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-800x549.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-1020x700.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-768x527.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-1536x1054.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1665px) 100vw, 1665px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jonathan Rhys Williams is Lawrence Jameson and Keith Pinto is Freddy Benson in the San Jose Stage production of ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.’ \u003ccite>(San Jose Stage)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">Dirty Rotten Scoundrels\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003cbr>\nJune 5–30, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on the popular 1988 film and directed by Stage Associate Artist Johnny Moreno, this French Riviera con caper follows two men who compete for the heart of a wealthy American heiress. Featuring a jazzy score from composer David Yazbek (\u003cem>The Full Monty\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Band’s Visit\u003c/em>), the Stage is digging into another example of what they do so well — the quirky summer musical. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bridgette Loriaux is Beatrice and Johnny Moreno is Benedick in ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Marin Shakespeare Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/\">Much Ado About Nothing\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Company, San Rafael\u003cbr>\nJune 28–July 28, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this wild Shakespearean romp, Beatrice and Benedick engage in a war of words while the soldier Claudio falls for the fair Hero. After the requisite bickering commences, love is discovered, vows are exchanged and all is well. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Popular Bay Area director and educator Domenique Lozano handles the direction, with Bridgette Loriaux playing Beatrice and Johnny Moreno tackling Benedick. And while the play’s the thing, renting some cushions and plopping them down inside the spacious seating area for a show under the North Bay stars can’t be beat. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Preshow pro tip – enjoy a Cubano sandwich at Sol Food down the street while taking in some salsa beats from the live band that plays on the sidewalk.\u003cbr>\nAnd if you’re looking for even more Shakespearean comedy under the summer stars, the return of Cal Shakes in Orinda to regular theater programming includes the 50th anniversary production of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/as-you-like-it-2024/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>\u003c/em> at Bruns Memorial Amphitheater in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1885\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957709\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-800x785.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-1020x1001.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-160x157.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-768x754.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-1536x1508.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Williams comes to Oakland for the role of Tommy DeVito in the Woodminster Summer Musicals production ‘Jersey Boys’ in July.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ryan J. Zirngibl)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.woodminster.com/\">Jersey Boys\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Woodminster Summer Musicals, Oakland\u003cbr>\nJuly 12–21, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons has had productions all over the world, with Broadway and off-Broadway productions still running while multiple national tours stop often in the Bay Area. (The production made its regional premiere via the first national tour in December of 2006 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are several reasons for the production’s popularity, namely the non-stop hit parade that is the music of Valli and songwriter Bob Gaudio, whose handshake agreement lasting decades is the stuff of legend. But the one thing that could usurp the show’s quality is the venue itself, nestled neatly within Joaquin Miller Park in the idyllic Oakland hills. When night falls, it’s one of the most picturesque views in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957715\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1180px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1180px) 100vw, 1180px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Octavio Solis’ ‘Mother Road,’an adaptation of ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ explores the story of Martín, a descendant of the Joad family. \u003ccite>(Anne Hamersky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/mother-road/\">Mother Road\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre\u003cbr>\nJune 14–July 21, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Octavio Solis, who spent decades in the Bay Area before moving to Oregon, makes one of his frequent Bay Area returns with \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>. The story is a spinoff of \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em>, taking the story’s iconic blue-collar hero Tom Joad and offering the new narrative of his descendant named Martín, a Mexican-American migrant worker. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Terminally ill William Joad learns of Martín as an heir to the family farm, and together they return to Oklahoma, the site of the Joad family’s perilous journey that serves as the soul of the original source material. Solis’ realism and poetic sensibilities are placed in the hands of the Rep’s associate artistic director David Mendizábal, who will direct the piece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957706\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1417\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-800x590.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-1020x753.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-768x567.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-1536x1134.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Naomi Iizuka is spending the bulk of her summer in San Francisco, with the world premiere of her play ‘Garuda’s Wing’ debuting in June, and her translation of Shakespeare’s ‘Richard II’ opening in August.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Magic Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://magictheatre.org/calendar/garudas-wing\">Garuda’s Wing\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Magic Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nJune 5–July 23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playwright Naomi Iizuka is getting cozy inside the iconic theater space at Fort Mason for the entire summer, kicking things off with a ghost play. It’s an international investigation, and an intergenerational exploration, set across locales such as Jakarta and Borneo. A search unearths murder, while exposing the effects of revolution and colonialism. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre artistic director Margo Hall directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To further expand on Iizuka’s time in San Francisco, her translation of the intense and timely \u003cem>Richard II\u003c/em>, directed by Santa Clara University professor Karina Gutierrez, follows in August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1272\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-768x509.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former TheatreWorks Silicon Valley artistic director Robert Kelley returns for the world premiere of ‘Being Alive: A Sondheim Celebration’ this June in Mountain View. \u003ccite>(David Allen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/being-alive/\">Being Alive: A Sondheim Celebration\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003cbr>\nJune 5–30, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Stephen Sondheim’s passing in November of 2021, the master composer and lyricist has continued his dominance over every ounce of the musical theater landscape. Now, longtime collaborators Robert Kelley, who served TheatreWorks as artistic director for 50 years, and resident musical director William Liberatore are offering up another new take on Sondheim’s wonderful life. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>TheatreWorks is a perfect spot for this world premiere, considering Sondheim is the company’s most produced composer. Expect many of Sondheim’s most iconic hits to make their way onto the stage, performed by a stellar six-person cast. (And for those who need even more Sondheim, the 2022 Broadway revival of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.broadwaysf.com/events/company/\">Company\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, in which the single 35-year-old Bobbie is gender-swapped for a woman, lunches at BroadwaySF’s Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco for the month of June.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957710\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1224\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957710\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-1020x650.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-768x490.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-1536x979.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Michael Wayne Turner III will perform as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in ‘The Ghost of King’ in Oakland.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Oakland Theater Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The Ghost of King\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project\u003cbr>\nJune 6–23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michael Wayne Turner III is both the creator and featured performer of this exploration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., digging into the famed civil rights leader and his tireless advocacy to ensure that the underclass are given justice and opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland Theater Project is doing what they do very well — develop, develop, develop — and Turner weaves the life and conflicts of King together with his poetry and most memorable speeches. Details and research inform this insightful deep dive into the iconic leader and orator, gunned down in 1968 a few months past his 39th birthday. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957704\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heikki Koskinen and Nan Busse in “Happened Change,” an entry in this year’s San Francisco Fringe Festival, running at the Exit Theatre in August.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Steve Bronson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theexit.org/\">San Francisco Fringe Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Exit Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nAug. 9–25, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 33rd installment of San Francisco Fringe is all about quirky, poignant fun that exists off the beaten path from run-of-the-mill theatrical fare. Many of the shows are of the solo variety, and Exit Theatre’s festival continues to provide voices and opportunity for theater makers to sharpen both their art and their voices. This year’s festival features a whopping 45 performances of 15 different shows. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957703\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,’ Romelo Urbi plays the title role of Jamie, a 16-year-old high schooler in Sheffield who privately dreams of drag queen stardom. \u003ccite>(Shane Ray)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/jamie\">Everybody’s Talking About Jamie\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ray of Light Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nJune 1–23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>British denizens fell in love with the luminous 16-year-old gay teen Jamie, who was a fixture on London’s West End toward the end of the past decade. Sadly, Americans had to wait. Despite a critically acclaimed 2021 film version, productions of the musical in the United States have been scarce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, Ray of Light Theatre gives the Bay an opportunity to fall head over stiletto heels for Jamie, an outcast who dreams of becoming a fabulous drag queen and finding superstar status on the biggest stages. It’s a tender story that shows what allyship and acceptance can mean to a young person looking to soar within their individuality in every aspect of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A delightful local cast steps in for this one, with Romelo Urbi taking on the title role, and the entire production is led by director Alex Kirschner. Fittingly, the show’s opening night coincides with the annual start to Pride month across the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>This summer, Bay Area theater offers something for everyone. Whether you’re seeking out experimental offerings, a tried-and-true Shakespeare classic under the stars, or some hefty song and dance Broadway style, the Bay Area’s summer has you covered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are 10 shows in the Bay Area from June to early September that are not to be missed. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1432\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957713\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-800x597.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-1020x761.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-160x119.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-768x573.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Lifespan.rev_-1536x1146.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fact-checking and copy editing take center stage in ‘The Lifespan of a Fact’ at Aurora Theatre this summer. \u003ccite>(Aurora Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/fact\">The Lifespan of a Fact\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aurora Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nJune 21–July 25, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jim Fingal is a newly minted Harvard grad who takes a job at a consequential magazine as a fact-checker. That consequence has softened, however, since the magazine is now hanging by a thread. An essay from mega-talent John D’Agata, about a teen boy’s suicide, could change the magazine’s fortunes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s one major problem — the actual facts of the story are shaky at best, placing both characters into a battle between truth and fiction. (The play’s heralded 2018 Broadway run featured actors Bobby Cannavale, Daniel Radcliffe and Cherry Jones.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no better time to support Aurora, a gem of a small theater in Berkeley. Like many theaters post-pandemic, the company faces a major funding shortfall, and are in \u003ca href=\"https://givebutter.com/AuroraSpring24\">an active campaign\u003c/a> to save their artistic outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1665px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1665\" height=\"1143\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957720\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych.jpg 1665w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-800x549.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-1020x700.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-768x527.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Pino.diptych-1536x1054.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1665px) 100vw, 1665px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jonathan Rhys Williams is Lawrence Jameson and Keith Pinto is Freddy Benson in the San Jose Stage production of ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.’ \u003ccite>(San Jose Stage)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">Dirty Rotten Scoundrels\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003cbr>\nJune 5–30, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Based on the popular 1988 film and directed by Stage Associate Artist Johnny Moreno, this French Riviera con caper follows two men who compete for the heart of a wealthy American heiress. Featuring a jazzy score from composer David Yazbek (\u003cem>The Full Monty\u003c/em>, \u003cem>The Band’s Visit\u003c/em>), the Stage is digging into another example of what they do so well — the quirky summer musical. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957712\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Untitled-design-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bridgette Loriaux is Beatrice and Johnny Moreno is Benedick in ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Marin Shakespeare Company)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/\">Much Ado About Nothing\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Company, San Rafael\u003cbr>\nJune 28–July 28, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this wild Shakespearean romp, Beatrice and Benedick engage in a war of words while the soldier Claudio falls for the fair Hero. After the requisite bickering commences, love is discovered, vows are exchanged and all is well. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Popular Bay Area director and educator Domenique Lozano handles the direction, with Bridgette Loriaux playing Beatrice and Johnny Moreno tackling Benedick. And while the play’s the thing, renting some cushions and plopping them down inside the spacious seating area for a show under the North Bay stars can’t be beat. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Preshow pro tip – enjoy a Cubano sandwich at Sol Food down the street while taking in some salsa beats from the live band that plays on the sidewalk.\u003cbr>\nAnd if you’re looking for even more Shakespearean comedy under the summer stars, the return of Cal Shakes in Orinda to regular theater programming includes the 50th anniversary production of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/as-you-like-it-2024/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>\u003c/em> at Bruns Memorial Amphitheater in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1885\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957709\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-800x785.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-1020x1001.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-160x157.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-768x754.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Ryan-Williams-4-1536x1508.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Williams comes to Oakland for the role of Tommy DeVito in the Woodminster Summer Musicals production ‘Jersey Boys’ in July.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ryan J. Zirngibl)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.woodminster.com/\">Jersey Boys\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Woodminster Summer Musicals, Oakland\u003cbr>\nJuly 12–21, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons has had productions all over the world, with Broadway and off-Broadway productions still running while multiple national tours stop often in the Bay Area. (The production made its regional premiere via the first national tour in December of 2006 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are several reasons for the production’s popularity, namely the non-stop hit parade that is the music of Valli and songwriter Bob Gaudio, whose handshake agreement lasting decades is the stuff of legend. But the one thing that could usurp the show’s quality is the venue itself, nestled neatly within Joaquin Miller Park in the idyllic Oakland hills. When night falls, it’s one of the most picturesque views in the Bay. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957715\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1180px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1180\" height=\"664\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957715\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1.jpg 1180w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/OctavioSolisAnneHamerskycropped-1180x664-1-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1180px) 100vw, 1180px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Octavio Solis’ ‘Mother Road,’an adaptation of ‘The Grapes of Wrath,’ explores the story of Martín, a descendant of the Joad family. \u003ccite>(Anne Hamersky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/mother-road/\">Mother Road\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre\u003cbr>\nJune 14–July 21, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Octavio Solis, who spent decades in the Bay Area before moving to Oregon, makes one of his frequent Bay Area returns with \u003cem>Mother Road\u003c/em>. The story is a spinoff of \u003cem>The Grapes of Wrath\u003c/em>, taking the story’s iconic blue-collar hero Tom Joad and offering the new narrative of his descendant named Martín, a Mexican-American migrant worker. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Terminally ill William Joad learns of Martín as an heir to the family farm, and together they return to Oklahoma, the site of the Joad family’s perilous journey that serves as the soul of the original source material. Solis’ realism and poetic sensibilities are placed in the hands of the Rep’s associate artistic director David Mendizábal, who will direct the piece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957706\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1417\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957706\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-800x590.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-1020x753.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-768x567.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/naomi_iizuka-1536x1134.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Naomi Iizuka is spending the bulk of her summer in San Francisco, with the world premiere of her play ‘Garuda’s Wing’ debuting in June, and her translation of Shakespeare’s ‘Richard II’ opening in August.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Magic Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://magictheatre.org/calendar/garudas-wing\">Garuda’s Wing\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Magic Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nJune 5–July 23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Playwright Naomi Iizuka is getting cozy inside the iconic theater space at Fort Mason for the entire summer, kicking things off with a ghost play. It’s an international investigation, and an intergenerational exploration, set across locales such as Jakarta and Borneo. A search unearths murder, while exposing the effects of revolution and colonialism. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre artistic director Margo Hall directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To further expand on Iizuka’s time in San Francisco, her translation of the intense and timely \u003cem>Richard II\u003c/em>, directed by Santa Clara University professor Karina Gutierrez, follows in August.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957708\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1272\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957708\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-800x530.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-1020x676.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-768x509.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Robert-Kelley3_DavidAllenPhoto-scaled-1-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Former TheatreWorks Silicon Valley artistic director Robert Kelley returns for the world premiere of ‘Being Alive: A Sondheim Celebration’ this June in Mountain View. \u003ccite>(David Allen)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/being-alive/\">Being Alive: A Sondheim Celebration\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003cbr>\nJune 5–30, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since Stephen Sondheim’s passing in November of 2021, the master composer and lyricist has continued his dominance over every ounce of the musical theater landscape. Now, longtime collaborators Robert Kelley, who served TheatreWorks as artistic director for 50 years, and resident musical director William Liberatore are offering up another new take on Sondheim’s wonderful life. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>TheatreWorks is a perfect spot for this world premiere, considering Sondheim is the company’s most produced composer. Expect many of Sondheim’s most iconic hits to make their way onto the stage, performed by a stellar six-person cast. (And for those who need even more Sondheim, the 2022 Broadway revival of \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.broadwaysf.com/events/company/\">Company\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, in which the single 35-year-old Bobbie is gender-swapped for a woman, lunches at BroadwaySF’s Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco for the month of June.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957710\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1224\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957710\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-800x510.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-1020x650.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-160x102.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-768x490.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/The_Ghost_of_King_2024_8649_cropped-1536x979.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Michael Wayne Turner III will perform as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in ‘The Ghost of King’ in Oakland.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Oakland Theater Project)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The Ghost of King\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project\u003cbr>\nJune 6–23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michael Wayne Turner III is both the creator and featured performer of this exploration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., digging into the famed civil rights leader and his tireless advocacy to ensure that the underclass are given justice and opportunity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland Theater Project is doing what they do very well — develop, develop, develop — and Turner weaves the life and conflicts of King together with his poetry and most memorable speeches. Details and research inform this insightful deep dive into the iconic leader and orator, gunned down in 1968 a few months past his 39th birthday. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1440px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1440\" height=\"1920\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957704\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson.jpg 1440w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-1020x1360.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-160x213.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Left-to-right-Heikki-Koskinen-and-Nan-Busse-in-Happened-Change-Photo-credit-Steve-Bronson-1152x1536.jpg 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Heikki Koskinen and Nan Busse in “Happened Change,” an entry in this year’s San Francisco Fringe Festival, running at the Exit Theatre in August.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Steve Bronson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca href=\"https://www.theexit.org/\">San Francisco Fringe Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Exit Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nAug. 9–25, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The 33rd installment of San Francisco Fringe is all about quirky, poignant fun that exists off the beaten path from run-of-the-mill theatrical fare. Many of the shows are of the solo variety, and Exit Theatre’s festival continues to provide voices and opportunity for theater makers to sharpen both their art and their voices. This year’s festival features a whopping 45 performances of 15 different shows. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13957703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1279\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13957703\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/05/Jamie-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">In ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie,’ Romelo Urbi plays the title role of Jamie, a 16-year-old high schooler in Sheffield who privately dreams of drag queen stardom. \u003ccite>(Shane Ray)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/jamie\">Everybody’s Talking About Jamie\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ray of Light Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nJune 1–23, 2024\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>British denizens fell in love with the luminous 16-year-old gay teen Jamie, who was a fixture on London’s West End toward the end of the past decade. Sadly, Americans had to wait. Despite a critically acclaimed 2021 film version, productions of the musical in the United States have been scarce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In June, Ray of Light Theatre gives the Bay an opportunity to fall head over stiletto heels for Jamie, an outcast who dreams of becoming a fabulous drag queen and finding superstar status on the biggest stages. It’s a tender story that shows what allyship and acceptance can mean to a young person looking to soar within their individuality in every aspect of life.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A delightful local cast steps in for this one, with Romelo Urbi taking on the title role, and the entire production is led by director Alex Kirschner. Fittingly, the show’s opening night coincides with the annual start to Pride month across the nation. \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "the-far-country-berkeley-rep-angel-island-review",
"title": "‘The Far Country’ Explores Memory, Family and Angel Island’s Detention Horrors",
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"headTitle": "‘The Far Country’ Explores Memory, Family and Angel Island’s Detention Horrors | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>What if walls could talk?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the case of \u003ca href=\"https://www.aiisf.org/poems-and-inscriptions\">Angel Island\u003c/a>, the walls do in fact talk. Imprisoned upon arrival in the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants etched their pain into the walls as poetry that has been preserved for posterity. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s harrowing production of Lloyd Suh’s Pulitzer-finalist play \u003cem>The Far Country\u003c/em> exists in a world where even the most remote and desolate land carries its own richness. The play’s magic, exposed by Jennifer Chang’s exquisite direction, is that it feels epic in scope, beautifully balanced between struggle, hope and decadent artistry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954199\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Feodor Chin (Gee/Three), Aaron Wilton (Harriwell/Interpreter), and Whit K. Lee (Yip/One) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The play begins on Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, in 1909. It’s 27 years after the implementation of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which severely limited Chinese immigration and brought horrific consequences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the conventional belief that Angel Island functioned similarly to Ellis Island in New York, the island was primarily a detention center, devoid of any romanticism for those yearning to breathe free. It is there where we first meet Gee (Feodor Chin) as he is interrogated by an American inspector (John Keebler), assisted by his interpreter (Aaron Wilton). \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee is charming and funny, stating that his paperwork proving American citizenship was destroyed in the infamous earthquake three years earlier. Through Chin’s commitment to each critical moment, Gee moves from professional groveler to shrewd businessman in the span of the exchange, making one wonder about his authenticity. Is he the soft soul that made the grizzled, white inspector smile, or a soulless heathen only interested in favorable transactions — or both? \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954200\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tess Lina (Low/Two) and Tommy Bo (Moon Gyet) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Having gained passage back to China, Gee makes a tempting offer to a widow, Low (Tess Lina). For a hefty fee, most of which is free labor, Gee will take Low’s son Moon Gyet (Tommy Bo) to the United States, where labor will become currency in the freedom of a new land. In multiple scenes, Lina oscillates between heartache and pragmatism, informed by each calculated thought with a regal smoothness. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a pact with the devil, to be sure, and one where admission isn’t guaranteed — even the devil might not be able to crack Angel Island inspectors’ relentless interrogation. Admission for Moon Gyet and the many other Chinese migrants trying to enter the steel doors of America is dependent on the tiniest of details: How many steps were at your house? How about the steps at your school? Are these lies? \u003cem>Don’t they all lie\u003c/em>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suh’s use of language and translation in these scenes is exceptional, where exacting words in Angel Island’s interrogation room by both inspector and translator spoken within seconds of each other is a balancing act of delicate precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954201\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954201\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tommy Bo (Moon Gyet) and Sharon Shao (Yuen/Four) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bo portrays Moon Gyet’s high-stakes game with steely, sharp resolve. Moon Gyet later makes his own transactional offer to Yuen (Sharon Shao): a marriage proposal that, as it turns out, dismisses her hopes of lifelong love (shaking hands after accepting the offer will do that). Shao plays tender and skittish charm beautifully, serving as an effective foil for Moon Gyet’s scheming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As director, Chang is best when creating savory tableaus, pacing each moment with what’s necessary. In her hands, not only does the drama provide tension, but offers artistry and a clean blend of humor necessary for the audience to take a breath and process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13954121']Moments within Angel Island are loaded with desperate warmth, the details filled with artistic strokes incorporating Minjoo Kim’s wonderful lighting design. It is there where the hope of a people, those whose poetry sustained them within the most soul-crushing circumstances, rises beyond the clay that covers each word. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story’s denouement offers critical lessons with humane subtlety. As one grows and ages, the totality of a life is clearest just before the memory starts to fade. No one will live forever, but a legacy can. Just listen to the walls — they will tell all. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Far Country’ runs now through April 14 at Berkeley Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-far-country/\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>What if walls could talk?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the case of \u003ca href=\"https://www.aiisf.org/poems-and-inscriptions\">Angel Island\u003c/a>, the walls do in fact talk. Imprisoned upon arrival in the early 20th century, Chinese immigrants etched their pain into the walls as poetry that has been preserved for posterity. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s harrowing production of Lloyd Suh’s Pulitzer-finalist play \u003cem>The Far Country\u003c/em> exists in a world where even the most remote and desolate land carries its own richness. The play’s magic, exposed by Jennifer Chang’s exquisite direction, is that it feels epic in scope, beautifully balanced between struggle, hope and decadent artistry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954199\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954199\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_012-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Feodor Chin (Gee/Three), Aaron Wilton (Harriwell/Interpreter), and Whit K. Lee (Yip/One) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The play begins on Angel Island, in the San Francisco Bay, in 1909. It’s 27 years after the implementation of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which severely limited Chinese immigration and brought horrific consequences.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the conventional belief that Angel Island functioned similarly to Ellis Island in New York, the island was primarily a detention center, devoid of any romanticism for those yearning to breathe free. It is there where we first meet Gee (Feodor Chin) as he is interrogated by an American inspector (John Keebler), assisted by his interpreter (Aaron Wilton). \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gee is charming and funny, stating that his paperwork proving American citizenship was destroyed in the infamous earthquake three years earlier. Through Chin’s commitment to each critical moment, Gee moves from professional groveler to shrewd businessman in the span of the exchange, making one wonder about his authenticity. Is he the soft soul that made the grizzled, white inspector smile, or a soulless heathen only interested in favorable transactions — or both? \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954200\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_058-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tess Lina (Low/Two) and Tommy Bo (Moon Gyet) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Having gained passage back to China, Gee makes a tempting offer to a widow, Low (Tess Lina). For a hefty fee, most of which is free labor, Gee will take Low’s son Moon Gyet (Tommy Bo) to the United States, where labor will become currency in the freedom of a new land. In multiple scenes, Lina oscillates between heartache and pragmatism, informed by each calculated thought with a regal smoothness. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s a pact with the devil, to be sure, and one where admission isn’t guaranteed — even the devil might not be able to crack Angel Island inspectors’ relentless interrogation. Admission for Moon Gyet and the many other Chinese migrants trying to enter the steel doors of America is dependent on the tiniest of details: How many steps were at your house? How about the steps at your school? Are these lies? \u003cem>Don’t they all lie\u003c/em>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Suh’s use of language and translation in these scenes is exceptional, where exacting words in Angel Island’s interrogation room by both inspector and translator spoken within seconds of each other is a balancing act of delicate precision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13954201\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13954201\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/03/TFC_166-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tommy Bo (Moon Gyet) and Sharon Shao (Yuen/Four) in Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Far Country’ at Berkeley Rep. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bo portrays Moon Gyet’s high-stakes game with steely, sharp resolve. Moon Gyet later makes his own transactional offer to Yuen (Sharon Shao): a marriage proposal that, as it turns out, dismisses her hopes of lifelong love (shaking hands after accepting the offer will do that). Shao plays tender and skittish charm beautifully, serving as an effective foil for Moon Gyet’s scheming.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As director, Chang is best when creating savory tableaus, pacing each moment with what’s necessary. In her hands, not only does the drama provide tension, but offers artistry and a clean blend of humor necessary for the audience to take a breath and process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Moments within Angel Island are loaded with desperate warmth, the details filled with artistic strokes incorporating Minjoo Kim’s wonderful lighting design. It is there where the hope of a people, those whose poetry sustained them within the most soul-crushing circumstances, rises beyond the clay that covers each word. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The story’s denouement offers critical lessons with humane subtlety. As one grows and ages, the totality of a life is clearest just before the memory starts to fade. No one will live forever, but a legacy can. Just listen to the walls — they will tell all. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Far Country’ runs now through April 14 at Berkeley Rep. \u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-far-country/\">Details here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"masters-of-scale": {
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"mindshift": {
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"order": 12
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"morning-edition": {
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"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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},
"pbs-newshour": {
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},
"perspectives": {
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"order": 14
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"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
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"order": 5
},
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"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
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"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
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},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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},
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},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
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